Poland, 2008

Let me start by

expressing my respect and gratitude to the President of

the General Assembly at its previous session,

Mr. Srgjan Kerim, whose active involvement and

initiatives have contributed to a broader Assembly

agenda and facilitated its work. I wish to extend my

congratulations to his successor, Mr. Miguel d’Escoto

Brockmann. I congratulate you, Sir, on your

appointment and wish you fruitful work.

The past year has seen many new challenges and

problems with which the international community has

to deal. In our attempts to respond to these problems

and to search for the best solutions we have recognized

yet again that different crises cannot be successfully

overcome without referring to such universal values as

democracy, freedom and solidarity.

One of the biggest global challenges at present is

the food crisis and its consequences. The decision to

make that issue the central theme of this year’s General

Assembly session testifies to the special role of the

United Nations as a forum for debate focused on major

global challenges. Poland appreciates the initiative to

juxtapose the debate on the food crisis with discussions

about the need to democratize the United Nations, as it

is only a democratic and effective United Nations that

can face up to the global challenges of eliminating

hunger and poverty and ensuring the sustainable

development of the poorest nations. That is why we

remain certain that the United Nations reform process

should continue.

One of the fundamentals of the democratic

governance of the United Nations is the rule “one

State, one vote”. Each State should be given the

opportunity to decide in which direction the United

Nations will head, and the General Assembly remains

the most important forum for such democratic debate.

In this context, it is especially important to streamline

the decision-making mechanism.

We are in favour of accelerating the pace of work

on Security Council reform. The number of

non-permanent members of the Council should be

increased so as to truly reflect today’s world. Let us

remember that some of the rules in that regard were

laid down in a world that was fundamentally different

from today’s.

“Everyone has the right to a standard of living

adequate for the health and well-being of himself and

of his family, including food, clothing, housing and

medical care and necessary social services”: that

principle is enshrined in article 25 of the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights, whose sixtieth

anniversary we celebrate this year. As an international

community, we bear responsibility for their fulfilment.

Fighting against hunger and poverty is among the

eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It has

been almost eight years since the international

community set them. Despite numerous declarations

and commitments we are still short of achieving the

Goals. It will be impossible to overcome the current

crisis or carry out our development policies unless —

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and I stress this — every country shoulders its

individual responsibility, takes concrete steps and

assesses the progress made so far. We should make

joint efforts to promote a global development

programme with the MDGs as its basis.

It was in that vein that Poland joined British

Prime Minister Gordon Brown in endorsing the call to

action on the MDGs. We hope that that statement,

which reflects a broad understanding among countries,

business representatives, non-governmental organizations

and faith groups will contribute to the full attainment of

the Millennium Development Goals. We believe that

the high-level meeting on the Millennium

Development Goals taking place on 25 September will

result in concrete commitments that will be

implemented in a timely manner: timeliness is of

special importance.

As we analyse the causes of the food crisis and

try to find effective prescriptions for combating

poverty and hunger, we take note of the immense

negative impact of climate change on these

phenomena. Although the consequences of climate

change will be felt globally, it is the poorest who will

bear the brunt and who will be hurt the most severely.

It goes without saying that, without solidarity,

responsibility and enhanced mutual cooperation,

developing countries will not be able to fulfil their

commitments regarding reductions in greenhouse gas

emissions and will fail to successfully adapt to climate

change. This calls for a certain change of philosophy in

our approach, and for much greater effort on the part of

the North in favour of the South. What I am saying

now is mere short hand: the rich should become much

more committed to helping the poor. The United

Nations is, if not the sole organization, then definitely

the principal organization that can implement these

objectives.

Poland wants to be an active partner in the

international community’s activities to that end. With

this in mind, we will be hosting in Poznan in December

this year the fourteenth session of the Conference of

the Parties to the United Nations Framework

Convention on Climate Change and the fourth Meeting

of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. One of the key

challenges facing this year’s Conference is to work out

solutions and mechanisms that will support and bring

about true systemic change in developing countries. It

is especially vital to ensure the funding of investments

that will help to modernize the economies of those

countries and help them reduce carbon dioxide

emissions and adapt to climate change. I reiterate that

there is no possibility of implementing these objectives

without a major change in thinking, especially by the

countries that now have the most resources. We hope

that this year’s Poznan Conference will lay strong

foundations for reaching a new agreement in

Copenhagen in December next year.

As holder of the presidency of the fourteenth

session of the Conference of Parties, Poland will strive

to bring the positions of major countries as close as

possible so as to ensure maximum progress during the

Poznan Conference. We anticipate cooperation and

support from our international partners and friends. We

greatly appreciate the Secretary-General’s deep

commitment to the implementation of these objectives.

Introducing new, more climate-friendly

technologies should be coupled with enhanced energy

security and diversification of energy sources. As we

do not yet have mechanisms to guarantee solidarity on

the energy crisis among all States members of the

European Union — I refer to the European Union but

this is also applicable to all other States of the world —

the issue of energy security becomes our priority.

Poland is following developments in Georgia

with concern. We believe that engaging in dialogue and

acting in a spirit of solidarity and consistency in

implementing energy policy should become a priority

for all European States, especially European Union

States. It is only in that way that Europe can be assured

of energy security, especially at a time of the complete

unpredictability of actions of the current main

suppliers of energy to Europe.

Poland’s concern arises from the abuse by some

States, especially one very powerful State, of energy as

a tool to achieve political goals in relations with

neighbours and with all the other nations that benefit

from the supply of energy by that State.

Thus it is of fundamental importance to diversify

the sources of supply, to introduce transparent rules

regulating the energy trade and to extend transport

infrastructure, especially by developing alternative

routes and energy sources for the European Union,

mainly from the Caspian Sea, Central Asia and the

Middle East. This could significantly accelerate the

development of the States of those areas and enhance

their potential as part of global solidarity.

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I have referred to Georgia in the context of

energy security. But the situation in that country is far

more serious. Several weeks ago we witnessed an

illegal military aggression and the division of the

country. That was an aggression against an independent

State. Fundamental principles of international law, such

as the inviolability of borders and respect for territorial

integrity, were breached.

Without respect for those principles, the world

will be a hotbed of not one but hundreds of conflicts.

We cannot allow the relativization of international law.

We cannot accept that international law is applicable to

the weak but not binding on the strong. If we do,

international law will have no positive impact,

especially as concerns the principle of territorial

integrity. We must not allow the undermining of a

principle on the basis of which the United Nations was

established 63 years ago in the aftermath of the Second

World War as a consequence of the bankruptcy of the

League of Nations. That founding principle of the

United Nations is the principle of law and of

opposition to the unlawful use of force.

Not all members come from countries

neighbouring Georgia or from countries in or near

Europe, but the problem of Georgia is a problem for us

all, for every country that is grappling with issues

relating to territorial integrity or to stronger neighbours

abusing their advantages. The international order

should be based on strict compliance with the United

Nations Charter by all subjects of international law —

first and foremost, by all States. It should be based on

common responsibility for the fate of countries

incapable of ensuring their own security alone.

Those were the motives that guided my response

to the Georgian conflict and the actions of the

Presidents of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Ukraine.

The complete implementation of the peace plan, which

should also cover the issue of the territorial integrity of

Georgia, is a prerequisite for the further discussions

about the Caucasus to be held in Geneva in October

and a prerequisite for the future of relations between

the European Union — of which Poland is the twenty-

sixth member — and Russia. Those relations can be

correct and mutual only if both sides respect

international law in their relations both with each other

and with third parties.

One expression of Poland’s involvement in

international security is its participation in a counter-

terrorism coalition in many volatile regions of the

world. Today, more than 3,500 Polish troops and police

officers are taking part in global peacekeeping and

stabilization forces — from Africa to the Balkans,

through the Middle East and Asia.

Iraq was one such place. Through the five years

of its presence in Iraq, Poland has made efforts to help

its Iraqi friends and allies to ensure strengthened

external and internal security. Its mission, the main

stage of which comes to an end this year, has clearly

been a success. Iraq today is definitely safer and more

stable than a few years ago, despite the doubts

expressed in some circles.

What remains a challenge, however, is the

situation in Afghanistan. We deeply believe that the

mission in Afghanistan, in which Poland is also taking

an active part, is bound to end in success, not only a

military success in the fight against terrorism but also

the success of the Afghan nation in improving its day-

to-day existence. Military action must also be

accompanied by measures to stabilize the Afghan

economy, improve the internal security situation and

enable Afghanistan to grow more quickly. I should like

to believe that this mission will end successfully.

The continuing lack of stability in the Middle

East is a source of concern for almost — the “almost”

is regrettable — every country in the world, including

Poland. The lengthy process of building an

independent Palestinian State should be completed as

soon as possible, for the sake of Palestinians and

Israelis alike, both nations being Poland’s friends. We

wish the Palestinian people every success in their

struggle for an independent State. To Israel, with which

we have important historic ties, because many of its

citizens come from Poland, we wish successes and

peace, a peace much needed by Israel.

I note with pleasure that our hopes are being

raised by the situation in Lebanon. Poland believes that

the elections and the new President will bring the

stability and peace for which the Lebanese people have

been waiting for 35 years — and even before that the

situation was often difficult. We wish the new

Lebanese authorities and the nation of Lebanon every

success. We will be involved in this part of the world in

a spirit of international solidarity and because of our

historic ties with the region.

The issues I have mentioned cannot be resolved

by a single State or a single group of States. Today we

33 08-51839

see clearly that we need joint action by all countries:

rich and poor, from both the east and the west.

However, in today’s world, where the division into east

and west is no longer as important as it was in the past,

what we need above all is solidarity between north and

south; we must give help to those in need.

We need to promote democracy, of course

adapting it to the cultural conditions and traditions of a

given State, because, regardless of its flaws, there has

never in our history been a system more friendly to

mankind. We should act jointly and in a spirit of

solidarity through effectively operating international

structures such as the United Nations and its agencies,

which have global reach and an unchallenged position.

The Secretary-General rightly says that there should be

deeper coordination between the work of the agencies,

irrespective of the great successes which the bodies

affiliated to the United Nations have scored over recent

decades.

What is most important, however, is to ensure

universal respect for international law, human rights

and fundamental freedoms.

I hope that when we meet next year during the

sixty-fourth session the world will be slightly safer and

a little closer to the principles that I have had the

honour to refer to in this address.