Estonia, 2011

I would first of all like to

congratulate Ambassador Al-Nasser on assuming the

presidency of the General Assembly.

The twentieth anniversary this year of the

restoration of Estonia’s independence, not surprisingly,

coincides with our twentieth year of membership in the

United Nations and our participation in the General

Assembly. Given where we were then, in 1991 — a

poor and beleaguered country, brutalized by a half-

century of thuggish Soviet, then Nazi, and then again

Soviet occupation — our transformation in one

generation to a modern, technologically cutting-edge

European democracy is a testament to what a

committed people can do. It is, as well, a challenge to

those who find excuses for not implementing

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democracy, for not eliminating corruption and for

continuing to brutalize their citizens.

Today, 20 years after the bumbling coup and

ensuing crumbling of that rusty edifice of

totalitarianism, the Soviet Union, we again smell in the

air the hope of liberty and democracy — this time in

the Middle East and North Africa. Again people have

come together and said, “Enough!” — of the lies, the

corruption and the 3 a.m. knock on the door by the

dull-brained goons of the secret police. People want to

be able to speak their minds and to run their own lives,

free of harassment, or worse, by the authorities. In a

word, people want democracy. They want, too, the

foundations of democracy: respect for human rights,

the rule of law and the freedom of speech and

assembly.

With those hopes in the hearts of so many people

in this year of otherwise dismal and tawdry news,

Estonia welcomes — indeed wholeheartedly

encourages — the United Nations to move forward on

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s decision to focus

during his second term on democracy and human

rights. Estonia welcomes that decision because,

frankly, the results of the democracy movements of a

generation ago have not even come close to what we

hoped for at the time. Most of the people who lived

under undemocratic rule two decades ago continue to

do so today. Of what was the Soviet Union then, only

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have earned the

designation “free” in Freedom House’s annual report

card on the rule of law, respect for fundamental

freedoms and free and fair elections. That, I submit, is

a poor result.

Each country and each situation is of course

different. No textbook rules can tell us how to make

democracy work or how to build a prosperous society.

A few basic tenets and lessons, however, hold across

nations, experiences and cultures. The United Nations

own Universal Declaration of Human Rights — a

document everyone here is obliged to adhere to —

after all, is based on the premise of common truths held

by all.

Democracy, as I said, is not only about voting and

free and fair elections, vital though they are for any

free and democratic society. Respect for human rights

and the rule of law constitute the cornerstones of an

open society. If one cannot speak their mind or be

guaranteed a fair trial if arrested, it matters little that

they can go to the polling booth. Rights and freedoms

belong to each and every person. They are not the

privilege of a select few with the money, the guns or

the power.

For Estonia, it is of fundamental importance that

the North African and Middle Eastern revolutions have

been popular reactions to sustained violations of

human rights, corruption and injustice. The revolutions

confirm the universal aspiration to realize one’s human

rights. They show once again, as throughout history,

that people naturally want to be free from fear and

repression. Notice I said people, not “men”. As long

ago as 2,500 years ago, Aristotle noted that where “the

state of women is bad, almost half of human life is

spoilt”. This is no less true today and will remain so.

The ongoing revolutions could not have occurred and

cannot succeed without women.

It is a profound source of concern to Estonia to

notice that, while women are welcome to protest

against corrupt regimes, they are not always welcome

to participate in the political process. Estonia therefore

places great hopes on the United Nations new gender

entity, UN-Women, and will continue to insist that the

United Nations as a whole do its part globally by

standing up for women’s rights. We also expect that

UN-Women will play an active role in helping to take

the principles of Security Council resolution 1325

(2000) on women and peace and security from paper to

reality.

For as long as we have lived as a free nation,

Estonia has always protected and promoted human

rights and fundamental freedoms at home and abroad.

Our candidature to the Human Rights Council is a

logical consequence of our work, but it is certainly not

the culmination as we continue to live up to our

national and international obligations.

Once again, ongoing events underline the need

for us to focus on the protection of civilians from

atrocities. Even in the democratic part of my continent,

the political project we today call the European Union

was a reaction to mass murder and war. The very

history of Europe motivates us to take preventive steps

to avoid any repetition of such crimes. Therefore, it is

vital that we develop common practices and the

capacity to implement the principle of the

responsibility to protect. Protecting civilians from

atrocities, dear colleagues, is not just about protection.

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It also means bringing the perpetrators of crimes and

atrocities against civilians to justice.

International law, in particular the International

Criminal Court, and the understanding that justice will

be done, no matter how long it takes, are the tools we

possess to prevent the worst human rights violations.

The rule of law and respect for international law are

what will help ravaged and victimized societies to

regain their dignity and rebuild their communities. The

common efforts of the international community, the

International Criminal Court and its States parties

remain a priority for my country.

While focusing on the pertinent issues of the

present, we must not shy away from addressing the

unresolved issues of the recent past. Afghanistan is one

of those. Establishing lasting security there remains a

key objective for Estonia. To reach that objective, we

must focus on assisting Afghan efforts to further

develop good governance and the rule of law. Along

with human rights, these are the crucial elements of a

sustainable society. We believe that we must all remain

committed as long as is necessary to reach this goal. To

that end, Estonia will continue to support the access of

Afghans, in particular women and children, to health

care and education through its development

cooperation projects.

Georgia is another country that continues to

require our attention. The 2008 war ended with the

violation of Georgian territorial integrity, which is a

fundamental violation of international law that remains

unresolved to this day. The fundamental principles of

international law must be followed by all members of

the international community and not just the small,

who have no other recourse. Additionally, we should

continue to support the Geneva talks. The United

Nations involvement is of the utmost importance and

must continue in the future.

Here today in the United Nations, our attention is

also focused on Israel and Palestine. A viable two-State

solution must take into consideration the legitimate

concerns of both sides for their well-being, safety and

prosperity.

Another security- and human rights-related topic

is the Internet, especially these days, when it has come

to play such an important role in democratization by

enabling political discussion and mobilizing popular

movements. The Internet has grown beyond all

expectations since people began to use it regularly

some 20 years ago. Its global, ipso facto cross-border

nature allows users the world over to access

information and ideas, to communicate with each other

and to learn. Estonia firmly believes that States should

ensure that their people can freely seek, receive and

impart information and ideas and have access to the

Internet. In fact, Estonia believes that, in this

technological age, unimpeded access to the Internet is a

human right.

A transparent Government and administration, a

liberal economic environment and a strong educational

system all have contributed to Estonia’s success.

Estonia’s development over the past 20 years is proof

that information and communications technology can

be a springboard to success for all States. We are quite

willing to continue to share our experience, especially

in increasing transparency and openness in

Government, with other countries.

The Internet, however, poses many dangers as

well. Increasingly disruptive cyberthreats and attacks

that can seriously harm entire communities and,

indeed, cause harm to countless individuals, are a new

danger that we face. The large-scale cyberattacks

against Estonia in 2007 created a new awareness

among our people. The steps Estonia has taken towards

a more secure Internet, however, do not restrict our

people’s freedoms. In fact, Freedom House’s global

assessment of Freedom on the Net 2011 rated Estonia

as the freest in the world, demonstrating that a proper

balance between rights and security can be found

without compromising either.

We also bear responsibility for the environment

we live in. It was no accident that the democratic

revolutions of Central and Eastern Europe were

accompanied, and indeed often instigated, by

environmental movements. Citizens had become fed up

with the totalitarian system’s abuse of nature and

disregard for human beings. Ignoring the state of its

citizens’ health and surroundings, the totalitarian State

exposed itself to be what it was — a self-serving clique

hell-bent on maintaining its power, no matter what the

cost to its people, no matter what pain and suffering

ensued.

Today, the challenge we face is global. It is

climate change. Estonia’s 2010 national security

concept states that climate change is also a security

issue and can have a destabilizing effect. Estonia

already has decided to contribute to the fast-track

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financing of efforts to combat climate change. We

believe that sustainable development and the green

economy need a global approach, as exemplified by

preparations for the United Nations Conference on

Sustainable Development next year.

One already evident consequence of climate

change is an increase in the number of people who

need clean water and food. Estonia will continue to

increase its contribution to the United Nations

humanitarian system.

While the world’s humanitarian needs grow, we

require increased coordination and strict scrutiny of the

real needs of aid recipients. As donor Governments, we

are doubly accountable, first to those who require

assistance; but we are also accountable to our

taxpayers for the effective use of every Euro cent. If

our taxpayers believe that Government is spending tax

money unwisely or ineffectively, they will vote for a

Government that cares less for foreign assistance

expenditures. In these days of ever greater financial

difficulty in donor countries themselves, this is not an

observation to be ignored.

The many times I have addressed the General

Assembly, I have deliberated on the nature of the

United Nations and the need for reform. The United

Nations needs to change as the world around us

changes. System-wide coherence, delivering as one,

and revitalization of the General Assembly are steps in

the right direction.

We welcome these changes, yet at the same time

Estonia sincerely hopes that the same spirit will prevail

in reform of the Security Council. If nations are not

given a fair and equitable voice, proportional and

appropriate to its role in today’s world — not the world

of 1945 — we will find that the Organization has ever

less credibility. I propose that we adopt a new attitude

of openness to new developments in order to make sure

that the United Nations as a whole can better deliver on

the undoubtedly important issues for which it is

responsible.

In conclusion, let me say that history did not end

20 years ago with the re-emergence of democratic

nations in Central and Eastern Europe. Nor will history

end with the Arab Spring. Democracy, freedom, human

rights, the rule of law and sustainable development all

require constant and consistent support and protection.

The world faces challenges, new and old. We face

them daily. Today, as we commemorate the victims of

the 9/11 terrorist attack ten years ago here in New

York, we recognize how much the world has changed

since the United Nations was founded 66 years ago. We

must address and act upon these new challenges. It is

we, the United Nations, who need to keep pace with

changes and developments in the world we live in to

protect and promote universal values across the globe.