Slovakia, 2004

Let me begin

by congratulating you, Sir, on your election as

President of the General Assembly at its fifty-ninth

session. I am convinced that your work in that

important post will ensure further progress towards the

attainment of our common goals. I wish you the

greatest of success and pledge the full support of our

delegation. I should also like to take this opportunity to

thank your predecessor, Mr. Julian Hunte, Minister for

Foreign Affairs of Saint Lucia, for his excellent work

and, above all, for his personal contribution to the

revitalization of the General Assembly.

This is the first time that the Slovak Republic has

participated in the general debate of the General

Assembly as a member of the European Union (EU).

Slovakia fully endorses the position set out earlier by

the Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the

Netherlands on behalf of the EU. I am convinced that

the enlarged EU will further strengthen its constructive

partnership with the United Nations.

The international community is now facing

challenges and threats that were unknown when the

Charter of the United Nations was drafted. The

multilateral mechanisms set out in the previous century

have proved to be less than adequate. Recent global

events ó accompanied by an increase in new and

potentially more dangerous and destructive threats -

have clearly demonstrated that no country can cope

with security issues single-handedly, let alone tackle

them over the long term. There is now a greater need

than ever before for international solidarity, together

with a sense of responsibility on the part of all United

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Nations Member States for consolidating peace and

stability.

The Slovak Republic is convinced that a

multilateral approach is the best response to emerging

threats, and that the role of the United Nations in

maintaining global security is irreplaceable. In

addition, we agree with the Secretary-General,

Mr. Kofi Annan, that the United Nations can maintain

such a status only if it is able to carry out its basic

functions effectively, embark upon internal reform and

adapt to current conditions. To that end, the only way

forward involves strengthening the authority of United

Nations institutions by making their work and

decision-making mechanisms more efficient. That is

why we have welcomed the establishment of the High-

Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. Its

work will undoubtedly rank among the most important

contributions made towards reform in the history of the

United Nations. We believe that that team of eminent

personalities will provide a realistic definition of how

the United Nations can contribute to global security

and development. Slovakia will help to turn those

objectives into reality.

We perceive the issue of reforming the Security

Council in the same light. Reform should involve not

only enlarging the Security Council, but also making

its working methods and the implementation of its

decisions more efficient. The Slovak Republic

continues to support the enlargement of the Security

Council with both permanent and non-permanent

members, with the aim of ensuring a balanced regional

distribution of seats, including greater representation

for the Eastern European region.

In addition, I am confident that this session of the

General Assembly will help to build a global security

system by strengthening and consolidating the anti-

terrorism coalition under the auspices of the United

Nations, along with the Counter-Terrorism Committee

of the Security Council.

Continuing terrorist attacks are leading to

significant changes in the area of global security.

Terrorists do not shy away from perpetrating the

cruellest and most bestial of acts; nor ó as the recent

events in Beslan have shown ó do they hesitate to take

the lives of innocent children. Terrorism poses a threat

to everyone; no one can be neutral or indifferent. It is

necessary that we be resolute and jointly mobilize our

efforts in combating it.

The Governments of Member States must fight

more effectively against this inhuman phenomenon

through mutual support, the implementation of

international law and improved cooperation between

international and regional organizations. The 12 United

Nations anti-terrorism conventions and protocols are of

the utmost importance in the fight against terrorism,

and the Organization must continue to play a key role

in bolstering legal instruments in that battle. The

Slovak Republic supports the prompt approval of a

comprehensive convention against terrorism as a

whole, along with a convention aimed at averting acts

of nuclear terrorism.

Maintaining international peace and security has

always been one of the Slovakiaís main priorities. We

have long contributed military units, observers and

equipment to United Nations peacekeeping missions.

Since our accession to the United Nations, in January

1993, we have participated in 14 Organization-led

missions, ranging from military observer missions to

humanitarian and demining operations to peacekeeping

duties.

Since the beginning of the 1990s, the Slovak

Republic has dedicated itself both militarily and

politically to the peace process in the Balkans.

Nonetheless, Slovakia has never abandoned its efforts

to help bring reconciliation and humanitarian aid to

other parts of the world. We have gained respect for

our participation in United Nations peacekeeping

missions in Africa and the Middle East.

Slovakia also contributes to the training of

peacekeeping forces. In line with General Assembly

resolutions, the Slovak Government sponsored a

United Nations seminar held in the Slovak Republic

last May, which was attended by a wide range of

delegates from more than 70 Member States. The

seminar discussed the conclusions of the Brahimi

report (A/55/305), which highlighted the importance of

standardized training for United Nations peacekeeping

missions.

In recent years, the number of attacks on United

Nations personnel has increased alarmingly. Slovakia

is a signatory to the Convention on the Safety of

United Nations and Associated Personnel and appeals

to all those countries that have not yet done so to

endorse that important international legal instrument,

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which guarantees the protection of United Nations

staff.

Stabilizing the Western Balkans is a global

priority and has a direct effect on the stability of

Europe. For that reason, it is also one of Slovakiaís

foreign policy priorities. We have fully supported the

activities of the United Nations to date in using its

authority effectively to help resolve the conflicts in

Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Serbian-Montenegrin

province of Kosovo and in the former Yugoslav

Republic of Macedonia. Slovakiaís proactive approach

in that regard was demonstrated by the political stance

it adopted towards the resolution of those conflicts, as

well as its participation in peacekeeping missions: the

Stabilization Force for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the

Kosovo Force for the Province of Kosovo.

We believe that resolving the situation in the

province of Kosovo is a prerequisite for the

stabilization of the Western Balkans as a whole.

Kosovo still represents a potential source of regional

instability. That is why we attach great importance to

next yearís evaluation to be carried out as part of the

Kosovo Standards Implementation Plan. A favourable

result in that evaluation could launch a process under

which the future status of the Serbian-Montenegrin

province would be defined by the United Nations. We

perceive the United Nations activities, including the

United Nations Interim Administration Mission in

Kosovo, as being of great importance in the search for

a solution that is acceptable to all parties concerned, in

accordance with Security Council resolution 1244

(1999).

The Slovak Republic welcomed the transfer of

power to a temporary, sovereign and independent

Government in Iraq at the end of June. The Interim

Council, which was recently established by the

National Conference, represents a significant step

forward in preparing for the elections to be held in

January 2005.

I call upon the Assembly to join us in our

absolute condemnation of all acts of violence

committed in Iraq aimed at spreading chaos and

instability, whether by means of assassinations, the

taking of hostages or the intimidation of civilians and

public figures.

We welcome the determination of the Secretary-

General to continue providing humanitarian aid and

support for the political process in Iraq. We believe

that the United Nations must play a leading role in

supporting the Iraqi people and the Government in

their efforts to rebuild their society.

Improving the security situation in Iraq is an

essential condition for building long-term stability,

democracy, peace and prosperity in the country. A

Slovak unit specialized in locating and destroying

landmines, weapons and ammunition is currently

engaged in a humanitarian mission there. In addition,

Slovakia has stepped up its participation by joining a

programme for training Iraqi police officers.

The Slovak Republic supports and appreciates the

efforts of the international community to establish

security and stability in Afghanistan. The International

Security Assistance Force (ISAF) is playing a vital

role, demonstrating how essential international

cooperation can be. The most pressing issues we

currently face with regard to creating stability in

Afghanistan are, first, the forthcoming elections and,

secondly, laying down the foundations of democracy.

In addition to those political processes, establishing

favourable conditions for economic development is

also essential for Afghanistanís long-term stability. The

Slovak Republic is contributing to such efforts through

its participation in ISAF and its planned involvement

in provincial reconstruction teams.

The Middle East peace process must continue in

accordance with the road map set out by the Quartet

and endorsed by the Security Council, which envisages

the establishment of two separate Israeli and

Palestinian States in 2005. Both sides should fulfil

their obligations stemming from that plan and previous

United Nations resolutions. They should also rely upon

the international Quartet for help and good counsel

when taking those steps.

As we are convinced that international peace,

security and development are closely linked, official

development assistance and cooperation with

developing and transition countries are becoming an

integral part of Slovakiaís foreign policy. Slovakiaís

European Union membership and its growing

economic potential provide both an opportunity and the

obligation to cooperate in the field of development.

This year, the Slovak Government has allocated $25

million for development assistance. In 2005, that figure

is set to rise to almost $30 million. As a new donor

country, Slovakia must work to further improve and

formalize its mechanisms for providing official

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development assistance. It is doing so with the support

of the European Commission and the United Nations

Development Programme.

Severe humanitarian crises also pose a threat to

peace and security in the modern world. Such crises are

not necessarily the result of armed conflicts alone, but

they sometimes have the potential to cause such

conflicts. The international community has the means

to intervene in humanitarian crises. With respect to the

current humanitarian and security crisis in the

Sudanese region of Darfur, I am convinced that the

international community, in cooperation with the

Sudanese Government, will find a solution to the

situation through economic and financial assistance.

The Slovak Republic has provided humanitarian aid to

that region and supports the continuation of peaceful

negotiations towards resolving the humanitarian and

security crisis there.

The Slovak Republic is fully aware of the

enormity of the tasks facing the United Nations in the

field of ensuring global peace and security. In that

regard, I would like to highlight that Slovakia is a

candidate for a seat as a non-permanent member of the

Security Council for the term 2006-2007 in the

elections to be held at the next session of the General

Assembly, in the fall of 2005. I can assure the

Assembly that in every respect, the Slovak Republic is

ready to take on the responsibilities arising from

membership in that key organ of the United Nations.

As my countryís Head of State, I feel it is important to

make this personal pledge before the highly esteemed

session of the General Assembly. We want to use our

membership of the Security Council to intensify

cooperation with Member States in all regions and to

be a dependable partner when seeking consensus in the

resolution of complicated global policy issues.

In conclusion, allow me to wish this yearís

session of the General Assembly the greatest of

success. May it reach conclusions that promote

cooperation among Member States, international and

regional organizations, and non-governmental

organizations and associations ó based, above all,

upon the principle of multilateralism.