North Macedonia, 1996

It is an honour for me to

address the fifty-first session of the General Assembly of

the United Nations, confident that it will make yet another

positive contribution to the advancement of world peace

and cooperation among nations and countries of the world.

The current international political and security

situation is burdened with many crises, cases of blatant

violation of international law, the uncontrolled hoarding of

arms, upsets of the ecological balance, disrespect for human

rights, widespread international terrorism, and tensions in

economic and social development. Such developments

have confronted the United Nations with the need to

reform its system in order to preserve its ability to carry

out its functions. This is especially so in the case of the

plans that should determine global development in the

twenty-first century, alleviate existing gaps in the

economic and social development of countries and

regions, and advance world peace.

The subject of the expansion of the Security Council

is undoubtedly one that should receive priority treatment

at this session. In view of the changed structure of the

international community and the growing role of the

Security Council in recent years, and of the need for

further democratization of the decision-making process as

regards global peace and security, the conditions for

expansion seem ripe. The Republic of Macedonia is

actively taking part in the activities of the Working Group

on the Question of Equitable Representation on and

Increase in the Membership of the Security Council. We

believe that the proposal for including the Federal

Republic of Germany and Japan as permanent members

of the Security Council, as well as the expansion of the

number of rotating members is realistic and deserves

special attention. At the same time, other constructive and

complementary approaches in circulation should also be

kept in mind. If necessary, the Republic of Macedonia is

prepared to make an individual proposal in this respect

with a view to overcoming any possible delay in the

resolution of this issue.

Wishing to make a constructive and active contribution

to the work of the United Nations, the Republic of

Macedonia has submitted its candidacy for rotating

membership in the Security Council for the 1998-1999

term. We are convinced that our demeanour during and

following the dissolution of the former Socialist Federal

Republic of Yugoslavia, the constructive and peaceful

policy we have upheld, our acknowledged position as a

factor of stability in the Balkans, our commitment to its

Europeanization and our activities within the United

Nations to date will be a sufficient basis and guarantee for

securing the support of United Nations Members for our

candidacy. I wish to assure them that we will fully justify

the confidence they bestow.

From the very onset of our independence, the Republic

of Macedonia, the only one of the former Yugoslav

republics to achieve independence peacefully, has

distinguished itself as an example of a country whose

leverage in the international community and whose foreign

policy are founded on consistent respect for the principles

of the United Nations, a readiness to cooperate with

neighbouring and other countries and to resolve all open

issues in a peaceful manner on the basis of mutual respect,

the inviolability of borders and non-interference in the

internal affairs of other countries.

Led by these commitments, the Republic of

Macedonia submitted two resolutions for good-neighbourly

relations among the Balkan countries. They were sponsored

by more than 30 countries and adopted unanimously, with

the aim of undertaking measures and preventive action that

will create a stable zone of peace and cooperation in the

Balkans by the end of the year 2000. In accordance with

the resolutions, the Republic of Macedonia will be the host

of a high-level international meeting of the Balkan countries

in January next year, dedicated to the advancement of

stability in the region.

Led by the principles of the United Nations, last year

the Republic of Macedonia signed the Interim Accord with

the Republic of Greece within the framework of the

negotiations held under United Nations auspices. The

positive results of this Accord are already evident. We are

confident of the prospects for good and friendly relations

between our countries and that we will reconcile the

remaining differences.

The level of democratization we have achieved, our

reforms aimed at adapting the economy to market

mechanisms, and our high human-rights standards confirm

our intentions of becoming fully integrated into

international and regional economic and security

structures. Today, the Republic of Macedonia is a full-

fledged member of the Council of Europe, the oldest

European political organization, and the Organization for

Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). It is a

partner in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s

“Partnership for Peace”. It has also concluded a

cooperation agreement with the European Union, with

prospects for closer association and membership in the

Union.

The peace-keeping forces of the United Nations that

comprise the United Nations Preventive Deployment

Force (UNPREDEP) in the Republic of Macedonia have

set the precedent for the United Nations successful

involvement in the concept of preventive diplomacy. They

have clearly demonstrated the justification and merit of

this concept. We have a very high regard for the role that

UNPREDEP plays in the preservation of peace and

security in the Republic of Macedonia and the region.

Consequently, and in view of the existing and potential

threats to peace in the region, we have already requested

an extension of the UNPREDEP mandate for an

additional six months.

The region in which my country is situated, the

Balkans, is one of the most sensitive in Europe. It is

presently in the midst of the so-called “post-Dayton”

era encompassing the process of bringing to life the

fragile peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the

normalization of relationships among countries and the

opening of prospects for development and cooperation in

the region. In this context, the Republic of Macedonia, as

a peaceful country oriented towards Europe, remains

steadfast in its policy, especially in terms of resolving the

economic and social problems it is facing as a country in

transition and particularly with regard to the rights of

national minorities as a precondition not only for

democratization and security in Macedonia, but also for

wider security in the southern Balkans. The Republic of

Macedonia has opted for the model of respect for human

and minority rights and for the implementation of

international standards pertaining to the rights of national

minorities. This is guaranteed by the firm provisions of

the Constitution of the Republic of Macedonia and

through its legislative and political practice. We remain

deeply convinced that, in the ethnically inter-mixed

Balkans, the guaranteed rights of national minorities are

the most important long-term factor for stable peace and

cooperation. This is why we have proposed the idea of a

comparative study regarding national- minority rights in

the Balkans that will enable much more efficient action to

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be taken by such international institutions as the OSCE, the

Council of Europe and most certainly the United Nations.

Allow me to conclude my address by expressing my

conviction that a vision of the world in the twenty-first

century as one of peace, democracy and well-being will

prompt all of us and the United Nations to act with

persistence and determination. It is my hope that the

decisions and the direction set out by this year’s General

Assembly will be a step towards that goal.