Finland, 2014

The events of the past months

fill us with sadness. We have entered another grim

era of conflicts. What has happened in Ukraine and

in Syria and Iraq illustrates that. The core values and

rules on which the United Nations is based have been

violated. The crisis in Ukraine has a deep impact on

the security of Europe. We have not experienced such

breakdown since the tragedy of the Balkan wars. But I

want to stress that Ukraine is not only a question limited

to Europe. It should — and eventually will — concern

all of us.

A rule-based international system is a precondition

for peace and security, for human rights and

development. If we cease to protect this system, it

will cease to protect us. It would be a dramatic and

far-reaching mistake to let our rule-based order slip

towards chaos and the law of the jungle. Unfortunately,

the Security Council has not been able to uphold its

responsibilities either in Ukraine or in Syria. We need

to reform the Security Council. Finland supports the

efforts to restrict the use of veto.

I am pleased that the General Assembly adopted

resolution 68/262, entitled “Territorial integrity of

Ukraine”, on 27 March, by a clear majority. Yet the

voice of this important body should have been even

stronger, condemning Russia’s actions and charting

a way towards ending violence and restoring peace.

When the territorial integrity of a Member State

is violated and it loses control over a part of its own

area through an illegal annexation, the Member State

should be able to turn to the United Nations for justice

and remedy. De-escalation in Ukraine cannot happen

without Russia’s active steps. Russia should control its

border and prevent the flow of arms and fighters and

thereby contribute to stabilization of the situation in

eastern Ukraine. Only a political solution can solve this

crisis. We have recently seen some steps towards that,

but a lot still remains to be done.

As the Secretary-General has reminded us, the

international community must not abandon the people

of Syria. We cannot forget those who have died or those

driven from their homes — half of the population of

Syria. Three million Syrians have been received as

refugees in the neighbouring countries. The Syrian

conflict can be solved only by political means. Finland

continues to give its full support to the United Nations

Special Envoy for Syria. Women in Syria, as in other

conflict-driven countries, must be included in the

peace process. We welcome women’s active efforts to

strengthen their voices in Syria and eslewhere.

The war in Syria has severely affected the

security situation in the whole region. The geographic

expansion of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

organization, with its horrendous terror, is a by-product

of the conflict. That situation has serious consequences

locally, regionally and internationally. That challenge

must be tackled together through wide-ranging

international cooperation. Finland will contribute to

those common efforts.

The international community showed determination

last autumn after the chemical attacks in Syria. The

Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons-

United Nations Joint Mission for the Elimination of

the Chemical Weapons Programme of the Syrian Arab

Republic focused on the verification and destruction

of Syria’s chemical weapons programme. Finland has

worked alongside the Joint Mission in that demanding

operation. We must remain vigilant. In order to fulfil

its United Nations commitments as well as to comply

with the Chemical Weapons Convention, Syria must

take further action. We must show that determination

again. I strongly reiterate the appeal to the Security

Council to refer the Syrian situation to the International

Criminal Court (ICC). The ICC must be used when the

national justice system is not able to deliver.

Those conflicts are unfolding at a time when

cooperation and common efforts are more needed

than ever. We share the same global challenges, such

as climate change. Ebola is another serious threat. To

help, Finland will double its assistance. It is critically

important to us and our planet that we address them

together. Here, I want to express my gratitude to the

Secretary-General for his leadership in addressing

those challenges.

Intergovernmental negotiations on the post-2015

agenda will commence soon. We should aspire to a new

kind of global commitment to fulfil both the needs of

mankind and planet Earth. We owe this to our children

and their children. To achieve sustainable development,

we need clear objectives. We need to be able to monitor

our commitments in an efficient way. All resources

and means should be mobilized. We cannot rely only

on traditional resources any more. Public funding for

development is still important for the poorest and those

affected by conflicts. But at the same time, domestic

resource mobilization, innovation, trade and technology

and investments must play a stronger role in sustainable

development.

Many countries of the global South enjoy a robust

economic growth. That provides an opportunity to

invest in tax systems, which in turn generates public

resources for sustainable development. A just tax and

redistribution policy is one of the most efficient ways

to reduce inequalities and fight marginalization. The

rule of law and the fight against corruption play a huge

role as well.

I trust the Secretary-General to be both

visionary and concrete when setting the scene for

the intergovernmental negotiations. This process

will culminate next year in this very Hall. The best

way to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the

United Nations next year is to adopt transformative

commitments that set us on a path towards sustainable

development.

I started by describing the grim state of international

relations. My analysis is not an excuse for inaction, but

a call to redouble our diplomatic efforts. We must act

with determination, and we must act now. Finland will

support efforts to restore peace and prevent further

damage to our rule-based international system. We

must also aim high in addressing together the broader

global challenges of climate change and sustainable

development.