Romania, 2004

Allow me at

the outset to join others who have warmly

congratulated you, Sir, on your election to the

presidency of the General Assembly at this session. I

wish you every success in your important undertaking,

which will enjoy the full support of the Romanian

delegation.

For some years now, this great worldwide

gathering has opened in the wake of deadly terrorist

attacks that require us to respond as one to voice strong

condemnation of all terrorist acts and a commitment to

contributing ever more energetically to the affirmation

of effective multilateralism that will make global

action increasingly effectual.

In that context, I cannot fail briefly to address the

issue of the struggle against terrorism, which is more

urgent today than ever before. Since September 2001,

the level of violence of acts of terrorism — perpetrated

in the name of ideological, territorial, religious or

ethnic differences and incompatibilities — has risen

dramatically.

At the same time, the very nature of terrorist acts

has changed. The complexity and scale of such

barbarism, claiming the lives of hundreds or even

thousands of innocent victims — often children, as in

the recent incident in Beslan — are indescribably grim

and represent immense challenges. Yet another factor

is at play in all this: the increase in the number of

terrorist acts. In such conditions, the struggle against

that scourge — whose implications are not only

immediate, but also complex and global in nature — is

an urgent and ongoing obligation for all States.

Romania promptly and meaningfully joined the

anti-terrorism campaign and has demonstrated its

resolve to contribute to eradicating it. We believe,

however, that the struggle to end terrorism must also

address its underlying causes, including poverty, and

must not be used as a pretext for flouting or violating

human rights. If that were to occur, we would be

playing into the hands of the perpetrators of terrorist

acts, who not only seek loss of life and devastation, but

strive above all to destroy symbols and values. On the

other hand, promoting respect for human rights and

democratic values is the only way to eliminate such

manifestations of hatred and violence.

The nature and, above all, the inherent dangers of

the current international context make the development

of cooperation among all kinds of international actors,

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State and non-State alike, increasingly urgent. As an

Organization that is universal by vocation and in

legitimacy, the United Nations must fully assume its

role as the driving force behind efforts to adapt to

changes in the international environment. In an

interdependent world, no single State is safe from such

dangers or from threats to international peace and

security, including terrorism, the proliferation of

weapons of mass destruction, the increasing number of

States affected by instability, the growth of global

disparities, humanitarian crises, ethnic wars and intra-

State wars.

Managing such risks requires a comprehensive

and coherent approach on the part of the United

Nations, including through the promotion of preventive

political and diplomatic measures, such as the

strengthening of international treaties and conventions

on combating terrorism and the non-proliferation of

weapons of mass destruction; efforts to make

international export control regimes and specialized

international structures more effective; and, in extreme

cases, recourse to coercive measures, in accordance

with the United Nations Charter.

Our Organization has one strong and complex

tool at its disposal in meeting such challenges. I refer

to the Security Council, in which Romania is striving

to make a real contribution to the maintenance of

international peace and security and the establishment

of a world climate of stability, with particular emphasis

on fighting terrorism, preventing conflicts and

humanitarian crisis situations, maintaining the unity of

Council members and supporting consensus solutions,

and encouraging cooperation on stabilization between

the United Nations and regional organizations. With

respect to that last issue, I would note that Romania

has been and continues to be interested in cooperation

between the global Organization and the regional and

subregional pillars. Given the current international

context, that is of major importance.

(spoke in English)

The need to speed up the reform of the United

Nations is more urgent than ever. The series of

challenges, more or less new, that the Organization has

to face in the twenty-first century make its reform a

priority if its structures and working methods are to

adapt to the present realities. The terms of reference

continue to be efficiency, adaptability and progress.

Romania looks forward to the recommendations of the

Secretary-General on the report of the eminent persons

so that we may embrace, together with other States, a

collective effort that cannot afford delay.

We hope that the sixtieth anniversary of the

Organization’s establishment will mark significant

progress in the process of adapting the United Nations

to the new challenges, and especially the Security

Council, the essential body in the management of

world peace and stability. Our relation to that organ, as

a non-permanent member, increases our conviction that

a new configuration, closely reflecting current realities

by increasing the number of permanent and non-

permanent seats, will consolidate the representative

profile of the Security Council and thus its authority

and efficiency.

I cannot ignore another aspect of our

contemporary world. Both a source of challenges and a

most generous framework for opportunities, the

phenomenon of globalization is unavoidable and

affects us all. Given its nature, the United Nations is

ideally placed to manage the phenomenon, particularly

by correcting its consequences.

In that context, Romania fully embraces the

Global Compact Initiative of our Secretary-General,

which needs support and strengthening. All Member

States must promote regional and transcontinental

integration as vehicles and instruments of a harnessed

globalization. In this case, the European Union stands

as a success story, since it acts as a vector not only of

economic integration, but also of democratic values

and human rights. The United Nations has to try to find

ways to adjust the rules of the world market in order to

diminish, in the medium and long terms, the big gaps

that exist between the rich countries and the poor.

Another priority in our efforts to harness

globalization is the need to enhance coordination

among the specialized agencies and institutions of the

United Nations system in their work to ensure the

diffusion of information technology at a lower cost. We

need to show more determination in our attempts to

decrease the gaps in this field, and to guarantee the

evolution of less developed countries from a state of

marginalization to one catalysed by knowledge-based

development.

Allow me to turn now to another essential factor

for a better future, one that Secretary-General Kofi

Annan also underlined in his introductory speech —

the rule of law. The validity of the principles of the

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Charter of the United Nations have not only withstood

the test of time, but they have also been reaffirmed by

a whole new network of international agreements,

mandatory standards and norms of action to which

States have voluntarily acceded, mechanisms for the

peaceful settlement of disputes and monitoring

commitments.

As a proof of our faith in the international law

system, Romania appealed this year for the first time to

the International Court of Justice — the main judicial

body of the United Nations — to resolve a question of

maritime delimitation. Romania also appealed to an

international investigation commission to solve the

case of an infrastructure works project with cross-

border impact on the Bistroe Channel in the Danube

Delta. Our appeal concerns the need for close

collaboration in order to protect a unique and fragile

place, a UNESCO world heritage site.

Our efforts towards an effective multilateralism

also involve us in other major issues on the United

Nations agenda. Romania has promptly joined, and

substantially contributed to, international efforts for the

stabilization and reconstruction of Afghanistan and

Iraq, in keeping with its long history of participation in

United Nations peacekeeping operations and the

provision of assistance in post-conflict phases.

The global vocation and aspirations of my

country are closely related to its European destiny. The

focus of Romanian diplomacy is therefore oriented

towards the democratic stabilization of our

neighbouring region and its effective connection to a

united Europe. For too long that region has been

affected by wars and all kinds of tensions, often acute

ones. Under such circumstances, Romania can only

support, alongside all of Europe, a boost to democracy,

economic development and a long-lasting stabilization

of the countries in the region.

At the same time, Romania is ready to contribute

to the stability and development of all countries in the

Black Sea region. We hope to turn this strategic area —

with its close connections to other regions of immense

potential, including the Mediterranean Basin, the

Caucasus, Central Asia and the Middle East — into a

cooperation and security zone.

I cannot conclude without making a brief

reference to another theme to which Romania attaches

particular importance. My country strongly supports

concerted action to prevent the proliferation of

weapons of mass destruction. In an international

context that is often volatile and defined by a growing

complexity and increased interdependence, we cannot

ignore the necessity for immediate action, using the

means offered by our global Organization, in particular

the Security Council Committee established pursuant

to resolution 1540 (2004).