Hungary, 2008

At the outset, allow me to

congratulate you, Mr. President, on your election. In

fulfilling your challenging tasks during this session,

you may rest assured of the support and cooperation of

the delegation of the Republic of Hungary. I also wish

to salute your predecessor, Mr. Srgjan Kerim,

representative of the Eastern European Group, who

served us with distinction and dedication.

The challenges we have to face daily in an

increasingly globalized world require answers based on

the principle of universally accepted values and the

practice of flexible adaptation to swift changes in our

environment. That need is reflected in the new external

relations strategy adopted by the Hungarian

Government at the beginning of this year. Our strategy,

policies and actions demonstrate our commitment to

upholding the rule of international law, to giving

priority to effective multilateralism, to spreading the

culture of cooperation and the peaceful settlement of

international disputes, and to working towards

preserving a liveable and sustainable environment for

future generations. Hungary’s geographic position and

its expertise in democracy building, good governance,

promoting the rule of law and human rights,

disarmament and non-proliferation will serve as a good

basis for our effective contribution to the work of the

Organization.

Skyrocketing energy prices, food and financial

crises and commodity speculation are endangering the

results we have attained so far towards achieving the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). A coherent

and coordinated response is needed to reverse that

process. As an emerging donor country, Hungary

firmly believes that the international community

cannot use the difficulties we all face as an excuse not

to do the utmost to achieve the MDGs.

08-53129 8

We are firmly dedicated to broadening the

outreach of our foreign policy to the developing

countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the

Caribbean. International development cooperation and

assistance are a growing segment of our foreign policy.

We are strongly committed to intensifying our efforts

in the years to come. We are therefore gradually

increasing our official development assistance,

concentrating primarily on those activities where

Hungary has comparative advantages, especially in the

areas of agriculture to combat famine and poverty

through the introduction of modern growing facilities,

animal husbandry technologies, forestry and fisheries

programmes, water management, developing health

services and promoting good governance.

Every day we are ruining our environment

through the intensive pace of development and the

emission of greenhouse gases. To address that

challenge, we need a more effective institutional

framework that includes clear political guidance;

adequate, stable and predictable funding; a strong

scientific base; and improved assessment of activities

and emergency response institutions. Hungary fully

agrees that the matter is urgent and hopes that the

ongoing deliberations on the future of the United

Nations Framework Climate Change Convention and

the Kyoto Protocol will lead to concrete results in the

coming year.

This year we mark the sixtieth anniversary of the

adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human

Rights, as well as 15 years of the existence of the

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Over the past 60 years, humankind has made

extraordinary progress in the promotion and protection

of human rights. Our job is to work hard for the full

implementation of human rights treaties. Our

expectations were fulfilled on 3 May of this year when

the Convention on the Rights of Persons with

Disabilities entered into force. Hungary became the

second Member State to ratify the Convention and its

Optional Protocol. We hope that it will be universally

accepted in the near future.

We strongly supported the establishment of the

Human Rights Council and we are determined to

continue to do so. In our view, the time has come for

the Council, as well as for all of us, to redouble our

dedicated efforts to make the work of the Human

Rights Council more efficient.

Following the adoption of a consensus resolution

by the Council last September, the Forum on Minority

Issues will hold its first session at the end of 2008. I

am personally very proud that the first Forum session

will be chaired by a fellow Hungarian,

Ms. Viktória Mohácsi, a member of the European

Parliament. I hope that, under her guidance, the Forum

on Minority Issues will be widely recognized, efficient

and results-oriented.

We firmly believe that a lasting solution to

current challenges cannot be achieved without the

effective involvement of women in all aspects of

international cooperation. I would like to state that

Hungary fully supports the initiative to undertake a

comprehensive review of the implementation of

Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) by 2010, and I

am confident that the United Nations should play a

leadership role.

The United Nations and the European Union —

together with Governments, non-governmental

organizations and other international organizations

around the world — have made tremendous efforts to

promote international cooperation in the area of the

prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. However,

the steps taken thus far still fall short of preventing the

many dreadful crimes against humanity. As a Member

of the United Nations and the European Union,

Hungary is fully committed to the idea of preventing

genocide and is ready to take specific steps to that end.

We have decided to prepare a feasibility study on the

establishment in Budapest of an international centre for

the prevention of genocide and mass atrocities. In our

view, it should be an independent institution with the

aim of contributing to international efforts to prevent

the occurrence of genocide.

The most important outstanding issue in the area

of counter-terrorism, is the full and speedy

implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-

Terrorism Strategy (see resolution 60/288), for which

Member States have the main responsibility.

Concluding a comprehensive convention on

international terrorism also remains a high priority for

the Republic of Hungary, and we fully support the

work of the Ad Hoc Committee in that regard. We hope

that we will be able to finalize the drafting of a

comprehensive convention on international terrorism

during the sixty-third session.

9 08-53129

In spite of the many security and political

challenges that still persist in Afghanistan, we

acknowledge and appreciate the achievements of the

international community and the enormous work that

has been done so far to bring about tangible

improvements in the everyday lives of the Afghan

people. In that process, the United Nations Mission in

Afghanistan remains instrumental, especially in the

preparation and conduct of the upcoming presidential

and parliamentary elections in 2009 and 2010. Hungary

remains committed to helping Afghanistan to rebuild

following many years of war and to create a State that

is safe, stable and democratic. We are committed to

continuing our military assistance as a leading nation

in the Provincial Reconstruction Team in the northern

part of the country, as well as to expand our

development activities in Afghanistan.

Contributing to peace and stability and achieving

prosperity have constituted a cornerstone of Hungarian

foreign policy in the Western Balkans for many years.

We continue to believe that that goal is best served by

actively supporting the integration of the region into

Euro-Atlantic structures. As we all know, on

17 February, Kosovo declared its independence. A

number of United Nations Member States recognized

that independence, including Hungary. We deem it of

crucial importance that a resolution of the Kosovo

Assembly and its new constitution fully committed

Kosovo to democracy, the rule of law, the protection of

Serb communities and other minorities, the protection

of cultural and religious heritage and the international

presence. Without a stable Kosovo there can be no

stability in the Balkans. In that context, we welcome

and support the continued presence of the international

community on the basis of Security Council resolution

1244 (1999). We also remain committed to contributing

to the stability of Kosovo through the European Union

Rule of Law Mission, the International Security Force

in Kosovo and an international civilian office as part of

the international presence.

Hungary fully supports the efforts of the

international community and various institutions to

implement the peace agreement in Georgia. Hungary

strongly believes in the peaceful settlement of

conflicts. The use of military force to settle territorial

disputes represents a dangerous precedent that can

have further implications in the whole region and

beyond. Any further steps and negotiations must be

based on full respect for Georgia’s sovereignty,

territorial integrity, internationally recognized borders

and democratically elected leadership. It is of crucial

importance that all parties agree on a unified

interpretation of the agreement. We fully support, and

we are ready to participate in, the planned missions of

the different international institutions, such as those of

the EU and the Organization for Security and

Cooperation in Europe, in resolving the conflict and

monitoring the implementation of the peace agreement.

Hungary has offered humanitarian assistance, and we

are studying further possibilities to assist Georgia.

Hungary attaches great importance to the

comprehensive process initiated at the Annapolis

Conference, convened by the President of the United

States of America, in order to settle the Middle East

conflict. Since Annapolis, there have been regular

meetings between Israel and the Palestinian National

Authority. We hope that the peace process will lead to

the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the

normalization of Israeli-Arab relations.

The Iranian nuclear programme continues to be a

matter of serious concern for my Government. Iran has

failed to provide the international community with

credible assurances as to whether its nuclear projects

are in line with its international obligations. We deeply

regret that the leadership of Iran has refused to abide

with the relevant Security Council resolutions. Only

full and unconditional compliance with the demand to

suspend its enrichment-related and reprocessing

activities can pave the way for the re-establishment of

confidence in the peaceful nature of the Iranian nuclear

programme and open up prospects for intensified

economic and political cooperation. We hope that Iran

will change its present course of confrontation and opt

for constructive dialogue with its partners.

After five years of conflict, Iraq is showing clear

signs of recovery for the first time. With the help of the

international community, Iraq is achieving major

milestones in the reconciliation and reconstruction

process. Hungary welcomes the fact that the improved

security situation allows for the establishment of a

withdrawal schedule, assuming that a fundamental

change in the capability of the Iraqi Government to

take control provides grounds for a long-term

settlement of the crisis.

Due to the conflict raging in Darfur, which is one

of the most worrisome on the African continent, the

situation in the Sudan and neighbouring countries is

08-53129 10

still unpredictable and explosive. Hungary welcomes

the extension of the mandate of African Union-United

Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur until 31 July 2009.

It is essential that the mission be fully deployed by the

end of the year. The establishment of criminal courts in

the region paves the way towards a solution of the

crisis in Darfur. Nevertheless, we should continue to

follow the fragile peace process closely.

We are convinced that, in order to address the

various challenges of the twenty-first century, the

international community needs a strong, reformed and

well-functioning United Nations. Progress has been

made in all areas of United Nations reform in the past

two years, with some new bodies becoming

operational. In other areas we need further

consultations and negotiations with Member States in

order to achieve a lasting solution. Hungary is ready to

contribute to those negotiations. We welcome the

recent decision of the General Assembly to start the

intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the

Security Council during the sixty-third session.

In conclusion, Hungary is strongly committed to

work with you, Mr. President, during the sixty-third

session of the General Assembly in attaining the

objectives of the United Nations.