STATEMENT BY GABRIEL BESZLEJ, AMBASSADOR OF
Mr. President
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentleman
Let me convey on
behalf of my Government the warmest congratulations to the President and to the
Government of the United States of Mexico and the Government of the State of
Yucatan for the organization of this High Level Conference for the purpose of
signing the Convention against Corruption which confirms the active and
creative role Mexico plays within the international community.
I would like also
join the other speakers in congratulating you Mr. President for the appointment
to this important function.
Mr. President
Seriousness of the
problems posed by crime - in particular it organized forms - to the stability
of societies and economies as well as to the rule of law was the main message
in the President of Poland HE Aleksander Kwasniewski's statement before the
50th session of the General Assembly of the United Nations, when he proposed to
conclude a universal convention against transnational organized crime.
During the negotiations
of this convention an organic link between organized crime and corruption was
recognized. The necessity of elaborating a convention against corruption had
been reiterated at the Signing Conference of the TOC in
Mr. President
The Ad Hoc
Committee's success to elaborate the text of the Convention against Corruption
in the very short time of less than two years, was the result of dedication, expertise
and professionalism of
All
delegations that took part in the negotiations in
We all owe a debt of
gratitude to members of the Bureau of the Ad Hoc Committee for their strong
commitment and their impressive diplomatic skills. Let me pay a special tribute
to the late Chairman Mr. Ambassador Hector Charry Samper. His wise guidance
should be remembered.
Our thanks go also to
the Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal, Justice as well as the United
Nations Office on Drugs and Crime for their prominent role in the process of
negotiations.
Mr. President
The principal value
of the Convention in question rests in its comprehensive and innovative nature
as well as its practical, pragmatic and enforceable character. One has also to
stress the novel legal arrangements on the transfer of funds of illegal origin
and their restitution.
The Convention is
also characterized by a carefully crafted equilibrium designed to reflect the
reality that the corruption is a broad phenomenon, which has many faces that
demands a multidisciplinary approach at both national and international levels.
The Convention, we
believe, will benefit the entire international community and enable it to make
inroads against corruption - a phenomenon that undermines institutions and
values of democracy, ethical values and justice, jeopardizes sustainable
development and the rule of law.
Mr. President
Fight against
corruption is the responsibility of all Sates. We strongly believe, however,
that in order their efforts are effective not only their cooperation with one
another necessary but it has to be a joint action by all relevant also non
State actors, including, in particular the civil society and independent media.
While actively participating
in the elaboration of the Convention Poland, at the same time, has worked at
regional and national levels on the adoption of appropriate arrangements to
prevent, detect and deter the crime of corruption.
Regional activities
in which
On the internal plane
The legislative
initiatives are complemented by other activities among which it is worth to
mention the "Anti-corruption Strategy" a programme of combating corruption
which was adopted by the Government in September 2002. The three main purposes
of the programme are: effective disclosure of corruption offences, introduction
of effective mechanisms of combating corruption within public administration
and increasing public awareness.
Mr. President
Signing of the
Convention, however, is only the first step. We still have a long way to go. We
have to make sure that strong political will that had made t e adoption if the
Convention possible is maintained and expressed in expedious ratification and
its subsequent full and effective implementation.
Poland intends to
give the ratification of this Convention a special priority that will manifest
sustained commitment o prevent, fight and eventually eradicate this scourge
that poisons societies and undermine the proper and effective functioning of
States and its institutions.
Thank You