Lithuania, 2009

Today the international

community is striving to meet challenges that the

founders of the United Nations could not have

envisioned some 65 years ago. At the same time, the

founding principles of the United Nations have not

changed. The provision of joint security and prosperity

and the safeguarding of human rights remain the

impetus for United Nations activities as they were

60 years ago. Countries that gather here, big and small,

have a common responsibility as members of the

United Nations to uphold and cherish the ideals

expressed in the United Nations Charter.

The global financial and economic crisis is not

the only problem today. Terrorism, the proliferation of

weapons, energy challenges, climate change and many

other issues must be addressed in order to make the

goals of the United Nations a reality. Complex

challenges require comprehensive responses. It is

obvious we cannot benefit from isolationist or egoistic

policies.

The United Nations must come of age. It must

become the visible and credible expression of the

globalization of politics. The modern world dictates

that we are dependent on each other. Either we work

with each other or suffer in isolation.

Today more than ever before, the United Nations

has to play the leading role in strengthening our

societies by promoting the shared values of humanity

and tolerance. It is our responsibility to make sure that

such phenomena as anti-Semitism, xenophobia and

racism are eliminated from our lives. There can be no

excuse for not bearing this responsibility. Countries big

and small alike have duties not only towards their own

citizens but also towards global society. But it is

usually the poor and vulnerable who suffer the most,

especially as the current crisis and the lag in donor

commitments push back the hopes of implementing the

Millennium Development Goals on schedule.

Therefore, with all due regard for the domestic

concerns and needs of national taxpayers, we need to

adapt to the reality of global complexity and to respect

our common responsibility and international

commitments. We need to make sure that the

Millennium Development Goals do not become the

prime victims of the current global economic and

financial situation.

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What particular steps should be taken? I will

mention several. First, recent United Nations peace

operations show that efforts to achieve and consolidate

peace entail many dimensions, ranging from

peacebuilding to nation-building. Despite its current

economic limitations my country is determined to meet

its obligations. We will contribute to peace-keeping

missions and operations working to ensure global

security and stability, specifically by continued

participation in the European Union missions in

Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Afghanistan.

Second, the proliferation of nuclear, chemical and

biological weapons will never be halted unless there is

an international consensus to do so. The United

Nations must strengthen its policy against

proliferation; in particular we need to find ways to

allow nations to develop civil nuclear power but not

nuclear weapons. Therefore the upcoming Review

Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of

Nuclear Weapons next year will provide a good

opportunity to seek diplomatic solutions and work for

full compliance with international commitments and

requirements.

Third, better and more responsible governance at

the global, regional and local levels is crucially

important for a steady and sustainable economic

recovery. Protectionism and isolationism have never

worked and will never work in the future.

Fourth, realizing the fact that global climate

change calls for global solutions, we will do our best to

reach an international consensus at the Climate Change

Conference in Copenhagen. Fully aware of the global

impact of climate change, we support the ambitious

European Union commitment to cut carbon dioxide

emissions by 20 per cent by 2020, within the

framework of an international agreement.

Fifth, I think that global responsibility has to be

addressed regionally as well — this is the rule for

effective implementation of the United Nations

Charter. Regional organizations should assume a

greater responsibility for taking care of their regions.

They must share their best practices with their

neighbours and other regional organizations.

Aware of being a comparatively small State,

Lithuania is assuming its regional and global

responsibility to promote United Nations values

through the core principles of dialogue, respect,

understanding and tolerance, as it assumes the

presidencies of regional and global organizations.

Lithuania began its one-year presidency of the Council

of the Baltic Sea States as well as the presidency of the

Community of Democracies on 1 July 2009, and it will

take on the chairmanship of the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe in 2011. A

Lithuania representative will then assume the yearly

presidency of the United Nations General Assembly in

September 2012 and will complete that term as

Lithuania takes on the European Union presidency in

the second half of 2013.

It is an immense responsibility to guide the

Community of Democracies forward at this point in

time. In our view, real progress in development is

linked directly to the institution of democratic norms

and principles. We believe democracy to be inseparable

from peace, the rule of law, respect for individual and

human rights, equal opportunity and overall prosperity.

Allow me to reiterate that small or less developed

States can no longer avoid global responsibility and

that all of us are responsible for our common present

and future. Let us all recognize from now on, in each

of our capitals, that the global interest is our national

interest and global responsibility is our national

responsibility.