Tajikistan, 2011

Allow

me to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Nassir

Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his assumption of the post of

President of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth

session. I have every confidence that his wealth of

experience will contribute to the achievement of

important results in our collective work. I would also

like to congratulate His Excellency Mr. Ban Ki-moon

on his reappointment as Secretary-General.

Two weeks ago the people of Tajikistan

celebrated a solemn event in their modern history —

the twentieth anniversary of independence for the

Republic of Tajikistan. Despite numerous difficulties

and challenges, the Republic of Tajikistan, during the

years of its independence, has succeeded in achieving

considerable progress and laying a foundation for

gradual social and economic development. We greatly

appreciate the contributions made by the United

Nations and its Member States to the establishment and

development of an independent, sovereign and

democratic Tajikistan, governed by the rule of law.

The maintenance of peace and security remains a

top priority for the entire international community. For

this reason, it is essential that Member States shoulder

their due responsibilities and take the joint measures

necessary to bring a speedy halt to wars and conflicts.

We welcome the settlement in South Sudan and the

accession of the Republic of the South Sudan as the

new, 193rd Member of the United Nations. Tajikistan

also calls on all parties concerned to maximize their

efforts towards a speedy and full settlement of the

continuing conflict in the Middle East. We support the

State of Palestine in its efforts to take its well-deserved

place as a fully fledged member of the community of

nations.

The Government of Tajikistan, aware of its

responsibility for addressing social and economic

issues, has been working consistently to maximize its

own capacity to attain the Millennium Development

Goals. Implementation of our national strategy for

development of the Republic of Tajikistan is a key

priority of our Government. Proceeding from

principles of sustainable development for our economy,

the Government of Tajikistan has identified three major

goals: ensuring energy and food security, and tackling

the country’s isolation in terms of communications.

International trade and direct investments can

also help in achieving our development goals. We

believe that the international trade system must remain

open, fair, predictable and non-discriminatory. Guided

by these principles, Tajikistan is currently in active

talks on joining the World Trade Organization (WTO).

In this regard, we are seeking the support of WTO

member States to help speed up the process of

Tajikistan’s entry.

The problems of climate change and its negative

effects cannot be overcome without the collective and

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coordinated efforts of the entire international

community. We know that climate change affects fresh

water resources as well as exacerbating extreme floods,

landslides, droughts and other natural disasters. In

Tajikistan, where about 60 per cent of the water

resources for the whole of Central Asia originate, more

than 35 per cent of glaciers have disappeared in the last

30 years. The accelerated melting of glaciers creates

additional risks for sustainable development and

regional water, energy and food security. In that regard,

at the United National Climate Change Conference in

Copenhagen, the President of Tajikistan put forward a

proposal to set up an international fund for saving

glaciers, which could combine the efforts of the

international community in this strategically important

area. We hope that Member States will support this

initiative.

The comprehensive development of hydroelectricity,

combined with other types of renewable energy, will

enable us not only to increase the capacity of our

energy systems but also to enhance their stability and

increased efficiency, and considerably decrease

harmful emissions into the atmosphere. For more than

10 years, the Republic of Tajikistan has experienced a

severe electric power shortage in winter. Owing to a

lack of other energy sources, it is vital that Tajikistan,

which possesses enormous hydropower potential, begin

to undertake consistent, comprehensive development of

its hydro-energy sector.

Tajikistan is prepared to cooperate closely on all

issues of the rational use of water and energy resources

with every country in the region and with due

consideration for common regional interests. This has

been repeatedly emphasized by the President of

Tajikistan, Mr. Emomali Rahmon, including in the

General Assembly’s general debate at its sixty-third

and sixty-fourth sessions, and in other international

forums on the subject of water.

As is well known, in the second half of the

twentieth century the Central Asian region was

confronted with a massive ecological crisis: the drying

up of the Aral Sea. Wilful disregard for rational,

careful and responsible use of natural resources has led

to the death, for all practical purposes, of the Aral Sea.

The enormous number of reservoirs that have been

built and continue to be built across vast areas

downstream of the Aral Sea have also contributed

considerably to its drying up. The total water content

of those reservoirs and bodies of water represents

1.5 times the water content of the Aral Sea.

Overcoming this crisis will require not just massive

capital investment in the water sector but also political

will and a readiness to implement long-term joint

measures for the rational use of water and energy

resources throughout the Aral Sea region.

It is for this reason that Tajikistan suggested that

the United Nations should carry out a comprehensive

expert study of water use in Central Asia, including on

issues related to the effectiveness and rationality of the

use of existing reservoirs and an investigation of the

environmental situation in the region as a whole.

Water is a crucial resource of immense

importance to sustainable development and to life on

our planet. We need to strengthen international and

regional water cooperation through the effective use of

existing mechanisms and instruments. With that in

mind, Tajikistan called for the proclamation of 2013 as

the International Year of Water Cooperation.

Terrorism is one of the major threats to the

international peace and security. Tajikistan condemns

terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. We

believe that we must swiftly adopt a universal

convention on international terrorism.

The prevention of illicit drug trafficking is part of

the fight against terrorism. The urgency of this problem

is a clear indication of the threat it poses to

international stability and security. My country is

making its contribution to the fight against the drug

trade. We have set up an anti-drugs body that

cooperates with other international organizations and

similar services of other States in taking measures to

fight illicit drug trafficking in our region.

Tajikistan reiterates its commitment to the full

and effective implementation of the Ottawa

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling,

Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and

on Their Destruction. My country unreservedly

supports a mine-free Central Asia. We support the

adoption of measures leading to the demining of mined

areas and the tackling of other mine-related problems.

Tajikistan is concerned at the situation in the

neighbouring country of Afghanistan. It was with great

sorrow that we learned of the tragic death of the former

President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan,

Mr. Burhanuddin Rabbani. He was one of the most

important figures in recent Afghan history and, indeed,

11 11-51390

in the region and the world as a whole. We would like

to express our heartfelt condolences to the people and

the Government of Afghanistan.

Tajikistan supports the international strategy for a

comprehensive peace settlement in Afghanistan and

post-conflict rehabilitation. We deem it important to

involve Afghanistan in regional integration through

economic and trade cooperation with neighbouring

countries. I should like to recall the efforts of the

Dushanbe quartet — Afghanistan, Pakistan, the

Russian Federation and Tajikistan — in favour of trade

and economic cooperation, the fight against terrorism

and the fight against drugs and organized crime.

We have opened five bridges on the border

between Tajikistan and Afghanistan, and three

additional bridges are being built. This year we also

constructed a 220-kilovolt power line linking Tajikistan

and Afghanistan. We are seeking to address the issue of

energy shortages in Afghanistan and in Pakistan by

building up the hydro-electrical capacity of the Central

Asian countries through the CASA-1000 project.

The continued post-conflict economic development

of Afghanistan is on the agenda of the fifth Regional

Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan, to

be held next spring in Dushanbe.

Global problems and regional challenges cannot

be addressed without a strengthened United Nations.

The process of reforming the United Nations must be

carried out in a rational manner, and the renewed

United Nations must become a strong partner that is

able to react to events across the world and rise to the

multiple global challenges that we face in this new age.

Tajikistan will continue to assist the United

Nations in every possible way in its efforts to build a

peaceful, secure and healthy planet.