Estonia, 1996

Let me begin by congratulating

Mr. Razali Ismail on his assumption of the office of

President of the General Assembly at its fifty-first session.

I am confident that his valuable guidance will lead to the

successful outcome of this session. He has the assurance of

our full support.

As an introduction, let me recall that this September

marks the fifth anniversary of Estonia’s return to the

international scene. It was five years ago that the Estonian

blue, black and white tricolour was hoisted in front of this

forum. That moment was equal in historic and emotional

significance to the one 70 years earlier, in September 1921

in Geneva, when Estonia was welcomed as a new member

of the League of Nations — an international organization

whose history has taught the world many lessons.

The cold war is over. Nevertheless, the international

community continues to seek further guarantees of a more

secure future for our children and grandchildren. In this

respect, Estonia would like to express satisfaction at the

recent overwhelming support for the Comprehensive

Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty adopted by the General Assembly.

The signing ceremony at the United Nations on 24

September was an important milestone, a result of

continued negotiations and at the same time a sign of hope

for the future. We firmly believe that the Treaty can make

an important contribution to preventing the proliferation of

nuclear weapons and promoting international security. The

United Nations must now give a clear response to people

who want to live in a world free of any threats of nuclear

weapons and other means of mass destruction.

Our world is facing new challenges. These new

challenges require a renewed United Nations. At the last

session, considerable efforts were made to reform the

Organization. This work will continue during the current

session. In fact, one of the principal goals of the session

ahead of us will be to increase the effectiveness of the

United Nations. Estonia welcomes the progress made in this

area. There are still a number of ways by which the United

Nations can further improve its performance. We attach

particular importance to the review of the working methods

of the functional commissions and expert groups and bodies

of the Economic and Social Council, as well as to better

coordination between the work of the Second and Third

Committees.

Estonia is looking forward to active participation in

United Nations-reform working groups. We attach

specific importance to the financial reform of the

Organization. Estonia is supportive of the view that the

United Nations should be put on a sounder financial

footing. Member States should make every effort to fulfil

their obligation to pay their arrears without any

conditions. At the same time, we share the understanding

that the United Nations scale of assessments should be

revised. The new scale of assessments must be fair and

more transparent. It should also better reflect the

fundamental principle of capacity to pay. We hope that

the High-level Open-ended Working Group on the

Financial Situation of the United Nations will achieve a

comprehensive and consensus solution to the current

financial difficulties of the Organization.

The reform of the Organization will also include

changes in the composition and working methods of the

Security Council. We welcome the decision by the

General Assembly mandating the relevant Open-ended

Working Group to submit a report to the General

Assembly at its fifty-first session. At the same time, we

hope that, along the lines of the mandate of the Working

Group, Member States can bring about a resolution to the

long-standing discussions on Security Council

enlargement.

Peacekeeping continues to be one of the important

activities of the Organization. Recent years have seen a

changing role for United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Today they have grown into manifold and diversified

types of action. A new challenge for United Nations

peacekeepers is dealing with internal conflicts throughout

the world. In this respect, I would like to reiterate that

regional peacekeeping efforts that are conducted under the

auspices of the United Nations must remain under

stringent United Nations control.

Estonia is continuing to take part in United Nations

peacekeeping. This autumn we will increase our

contribution to the United Nations peacekeeping forces by

offering a company to the United Nations Interim Force

in Lebanon (UNIFIL). The company will be deployed in

the Norwegian battalion. The deployment is part of a joint

project to develop a Baltic peacekeeping battalion. That

battalion will be the contribution of the Baltic States to

the strengthening of United Nations peacekeeping

capacities. I would like to take this opportunity to thank

all of the Governments that have contributed to this

common Baltic project.

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During the past year Estonia has taken further steps

towards the implementation and follow-up of the major

United Nations Conferences — Rio, Vienna, Cairo,

Copenhagen, Beijing and Istanbul. To this end, a special

inter-ministerial commission has been established in

Estonia. Since the critical areas of concern of many of the

conferences overlap, we are also looking forward to a better

coordination of their outcomes.

Last year important work was done by the Preparatory

Committee on the Establishment of an International

Criminal Court in elaborating the text of a statute for such

a court. We welcome that work and look forward to further

progress during the fifty-first session.

Failure to respect human rights and fundamental

freedoms is a major cause of conflict. Many intra-State

conflicts arise from the denial of basic human rights. The

Vienna World Conference on Human Rights made it clear

that the promotion and protection of all human rights is a

duty for all States. Estonia reaffirms its continued

commitment to human rights. In spite of the hardships of

institutional and economic transition, we have been able to

make democracy a way of life. Human rights for all

residents of Estonia is an inextricable part of Estonian

democracy.

We continue to place particular importance upon the

work of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mr.

José Ayala Lasso, the Centre for Human Rights and United

Nations human rights machinery in general. A transparent

functioning of this machinery should rely on impartial

reporting and disregard politically motivated allegations.

Failure to do so would seriously damage the credibility of

the Organization. Owing to very recent memories, this

issue is of special importance to Estonia. This is also one

of the reasons why Estonia lists among its priorities issues

regarding indigenous peoples and human rights.

Estonia believes that it is essential to secure

adequate financing for the office of the United Nations

High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Centre for

Human Rights. At the same time, we would like to point

out that various regional organizations that focus on

human rights issue periodic reports regarding such

matters. In order to avoid duplication and to make

effective use of resources, the United Nations human

rights machinery should rely on the extensive expertise of

regional organizations, including the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the

Council of Europe. Those two organizations foster the

basic foundations of security and stability in Europe. The

United Nations should further enhance its ties with them,

especially with the Council of Europe, the established

stronghold of human rights on the European continent and

a symbol of cooperation between nations striving for an

open and mutually beneficial dialogue. Estonia, the

current Chairman of the Council of Europe, is pursuing

policies of positive engagement in relations with all

countries, including our eastern neighbour. In this respect,

it is our sincere hope that the Russian Federation will

reciprocate our efforts.

In conclusion, let me underline our commitment to

contribute, together with all Member States, to the

establishment of a world community in which individuals

and States may live in peace and understanding. Let me

express our sincere hope for a better world.