Bulgaria, 2010

Every year we come

together in this great Hall of the United Nations, to

10-55264 32

reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism. Nations

big and small, rich and poor, gather from the four

corners of the world here at the United Nations, driven

by the conviction that, if we work together, we will

find solutions to the challenges of today and tomorrow.

As these challenges grow and become more

interconnected, so grows our conviction that only

through cooperation and dialogue can we resolve them.

This is the fundamental belief with which, for 55 years,

the Bulgarian delegation, like many others, has come

to the United Nations.

Like every day, today will be unique, because our

actions on this day will forge our tomorrows. We can

spend our time dwelling on the past, or we can invest

our time in the future that we will all face together.

Today, our world faces a complicated web of

challenges, but also of opportunities. We face the

challenge of addressing global climate change by

creating opportunities for sustainable development. We

face the challenge of reducing the conflicts and

opportunities that come from providing sufficient clean

water to millions of people. We face the challenge of

developing an ethical market economy and the

countless opportunities that will emerge from reducing

the poverty gap. We face the challenge of reducing

ethnic conflicts, terrorism and the spread of weapons of

mass destruction and the opportunities that come from

good governance, democracy and freedom. We may

also, perhaps, address the most paramount challenge of

our time: to prove wrong all those who believe that the

world is heading towards an irreversible clash of

civilizations — because none of the global challenges

that we face today can be understood, tackled or

addressed without respect for different opinions,

without dialogue between faiths and without adherence

to the global values enshrined in the Charter of the

United Nations. On behalf of the Government of Bulgaria, I

congratulate Mr. Deiss on the assumption of the

presidency of this Assembly at this sixty-fifth session.

Our appreciation also goes to Mr. Ali Treki for his

leadership during the previous session, and to Mr. Ban

Ki-moon for his efforts to strengthen and promote the

United Nations.

Let me begin by welcoming the results of the

High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly

on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Regardless of the fact that efforts to achieve the MDGs

have not stayed on course, their attainment is still

within our reach. Reaffirming the principle of

solidarity between those who have and those who need

is of the essence. My country faces challenges imposed

by the global economic and financial crisis. We have,

however, committed ourselves to develop our own

donor capacity, and so we shall. We shall do so,

because Bulgaria — like a number of countries that

have joined the European Union (EU) since the fall of

the Berlin Wall — understands that the solidarity that

was extended to us now needs to be extended by us to

those less fortunate. To be effective, we shall work in

close coordination with our partners, avoid duplication

and aim at addressing the root causes — not the

symptoms — of today’s problems. Otherwise, we will

not be building a better tomorrow. In this effort the role

of the United Nations will always remain vitally

important, particularly in helping to mitigate the

development impact of the crisis on the less developed

and most vulnerable countries.

As dangerous as the current global crisis is, it

also gives us a chance to green our economies,

particularly by putting them on a sustainable and

low-carbon path. This year, 2010, has been proclaimed

as the International Year of Biodiversity. Economic

growth and the preservation of the environment must

go hand-in-hand across the globe. Today there can be

no excuses — neither in developed countries, nor in

developing countries — because any excuse that we

find today will cost us more tomorrow. That is why

Bulgaria believes that the United Nations must be

given the tools to respond adequately to the increasing

challenges of environmental protection.

Today, much more so than in the past, we see

increased demand and pressure on international

humanitarian efforts. The devastating earthquake in

Haiti last year killed hundreds of thousands and left a

staggering 20 per cent of the population homeless.

Haiti’s call was, however, heeded throughout the globe.

Allow me to praise the work of the United Nations and

its agencies in responding quickly, but also pay tribute

to all of the countries, non governmental organizations

and individuals who came quickly to Haiti’s assistance.

The Bulgarian Government and people were quick to

respond by providing financial and in kind assistance,

including educational opportunities to young Haitians

whose universities had been destroyed.

33 10-55264

This year we have to help in the struggle of the

20 million people in Pakistan who have been affected

by the terrible floods that have wrecked lives, ruined

crops and destroyed economic opportunities. The

Secretary-General and the United Nations were swift to

react and deserve praise for their efforts, as does the

rapid reaction of the European Union, the United

States, India and other partners around the world.

Allow me to use this forum to call on all to strengthen

their efforts in assisting the people of Pakistan.

However, I also call on Governments across the globe

to help in removing barriers, so as to assist the

Pakistani economy in its recovery. Helping today and

creating opportunities tomorrow — that should be our

goal in a country that is vital to global stability and

security. In this, let me assure you that Bulgaria will

also shoulder its share of the needed solidarity. Already

the Government and the Bulgarian Red Cross have

launched a nation-wide campaign to raise funds and

contribute to the rebuilding efforts in Pakistan.

No matter how successful we are in our

development and humanitarian efforts, the benefits

cannot fully be borne in an insecure and unstable

environment. Allow me to briefly look closer to home

— the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean. The

European Union was created to make war impossible in

a continent that has seen at least a century of conflicts.

In Europe, however, we have unfinished business.

Europe will not be whole and complete until our

neighbours in the Balkans join our Union. It falls on

us — those who joined the European Union late, not by

their own choice, but because of the ideological

divisions of the cold war — to say it loud and clear: to

make war impossible in the Balkans we must see all

countries that have emerged from the former

Yugoslavia become part of the European Union. This is

our historic mission. It is our destiny.

Bulgaria, which has struggled with its own

transition and accession to the European Union, knows

the benefits and the challenges best. That is why today

I am proud to stand here and commend the General

Assembly for unanimously adopting resolution 64/298,

approving the joint EU Serbia compromise text on the

advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice

on the declaration of independence by Kosovo.

Bulgaria supported it wholeheartedly, because we

firmly believe that dialogue between Belgrade and

Pristina is key, both to the stability of the region and to

the European perspective of our neighbours. It will be

a difficult process, charged with emotion and scarred

by history, but it will be a process that can today lay

the foundations of a better tomorrow for all. It is a

process that the Bulgarian Government is not just

willing, but eager to support, and will lend all

necessary assistance to the efforts of the High

Representative of the European Union for Foreign

Affairs and Security.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina the international

community faces many challenges, but the struggle

between the fears of yesterday and the opportunities of

tomorrow can be resolved today by the people of

Bosnia themselves. Bulgaria will, more actively than

ever, contribute to this reconciliation, because we

believe that our role in South-Eastern Europe and

beyond is to bring people together, not divide them; to

seek solutions, not to watch from the sidelines.

We must constantly reaffirm our commitment to

bring our neighbours in the Western Balkans into the

European Union when they meet the criteria for

membership. But our neighbours also must reaffirm

their own commitment to undertaking often very

difficult reforms and strengthening regional

cooperation and good-neighbourly relations.

There are cynics who say that the world cannot

live together, that for peace to exist we must build

walls of separation between peoples, religions and

ethnic communities; cynics who say that civilizations

must clash. I come from a country that is in a turbulent

part of the world, yet we have managed to prove that

people of different religions — Christians, Muslims

and Jews, and of different ethnicities — Bulgarians,

Turks and Armenians, can live together.

Bulgaria has seen stellar moments in its history,

for example, when civil society rose during the Second

World War and refused to allow its Jewish population

to be sent to concentration camps, or when it integrated

its Turkish population after the end of communism.

But, it has also seen its dark moments — when it failed

to save the Jewish populations of occupied Northern

Greece and Vardar Macedonia, or when the Communist

regime expelled a large part of our Muslim citizens to

Turkey. Our history has taught us to be able to

distinguish between good and bad. Our history proves

that the cynics are wrong, that people can live together

in peace.

That is why Bulgaria cannot remain uninterested

in the Middle East. We believe that, just as the Jewish

10-55264 34

people have a homeland in the State of Israel, so the

Palestinian people have the right to an independent

State of Palestine that lives in peace with its

neighbours. During the past months we have all

witnessed the efforts of the United States

Administration to restart the direct negotiations

between the Israelis and Palestinians. Many of us have

made passionate speeches on the need and urgency of

peace. Today, the Palestinian and Israeli leaders face

the historic challenge of looking to tomorrow and not

being tied down by yesterday. The Middle East cannot

afford a failed peace process. The world cannot afford

a peace process that does not have a comprehensive

end goal in sight.

Today we must all recognize that hard decisions

are called for and lend our full support to President

Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu to help them

walk the hard road to peace. Obstacles should be

overcome and preconditions should be removed. If the

leaders of Palestine believe that settlement policy is an

obstacle to peace, the leaders of Israel must refrain

from such activities in order to give peace a chance. If

the leaders of Israel believe that no preconditions to a

final settlement should be put in place, then the

Palestinian leaders must refrain from such actions in

order to give peace a chance.

The choice today is not between peace

negotiations and economic development, because peace

and prosperity go hand in hand. No one should feel

singled out or left behind, because the enemies of

peace are many — those who feel that walls are safer

than bridges and those who feel that religions cannot

coexist. You can take away a man’s life, but you

ultimately cannot take away his faith or dignity.

This is why I call on all Members of the United

Nations to stand firmly behind the efforts of the Israeli

and Palestinian leaders to achieve peace. In doing this,

we must recognize the legitimate concerns of both

sides — Israel’s security and the viability of a

Palestinian State.

In this effort we should not forget the 1.5 million

people who live in Gaza — Palestinians who have the

right to a better life, just like the children of Sderot

have the right to go to school without the threat of

rockets. We have an obligation to help open up access

to Gaza without compromising the security of Israel.

History has proven that isolation and deprivation breed

radicalism, and it is in the interest of peace that more

opportunities be created.

Today the world faces other grave security

challenges that will shape our tomorrow. We must

reconfirm our commitment to halting the spread of

nuclear weapons. This mission is above politics,

diplomacy, national ambitions and personal egos. It is

our universal obligation and a joint commitment that

we undertook 40 years ago. Bulgaria believes that

every nation must put a strengthened Treaty on the

Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) at the

centre of its national diplomacy. The uncovering of

clandestine nuclear networks has brought the spectre of

non State actors equipped with weapons of mass

destruction closer. We must not allow this to happen.

All nations must recognize that the nuclear non

proliferation regime is undermined if violators are

allowed to act with impunity. We consider all States

parties, including the Democratic People’s Republic of

Korea, to be bound by their NPT obligations.

Leaving the NPT cannot be without

consequences. Justified concerns, however, remain also

about the nuclear programme of the Islamic Republic

of Iran. We call on Iran to deploy the necessary

confidence-building measures to provide for greater

transparency on its nuclear activities. Bulgaria believes

that it is important to find a diplomatic solution. The

recent efforts by Turkey and Brazil illustrate that there

is will in the international community for dialogue.

Therefore, a swift return to the negotiation table and

full compliance with United Nations Security Council

resolutions, as well as International Atomic Energy

Agency (IAEA) standards and safeguards is a must.

International terrorism is one of the most serious

contemporary threats to global peace and security. It

cannot be justified by any political, philosophical,

ideological, racial or ethnic considerations, nor by any

ideology. The end goal of terrorism is to hinder our

efforts to guarantee human rights, basic freedoms and

democracy. Within the framework of the European

Union, Bulgaria has endorsed the implementation of

the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy.

I appeal for a prompt finalization of the negotiations to

reach a comprehensive convention on counter-

terrorism.

An old nefarious practice has re-emerged on the

high seas — piracy. Bulgaria has been directly affected

by the escalating activities and audacity of the pirates

35 10-55264

in the Gulf of Aden and off the coast of Somalia. The

fight against piracy leaves much to be desired,

however. We need a firm international legal framework

for the trial, detention and imprisonment of persons

suspected of having committed acts of piracy. We need

coordinated actions on the high seas to protect our

shipping. Perhaps most of all, we need to address the

root causes of piracy — poverty, isolation and lack of

opportunity.

In Afghanistan, we face a threat that demands the

continued military and civilian commitment on the part

of the international community, which hinges on two

important factors. Firstly, the ability of the Afghan

Government to pave the way for reconciliation, tackle

corruption and deliver services to its people and the

renewed commitment of the international community

and regional neighbours to strengthen the Afghan

National Security Forces, while maintaining the

pressure on radicals and insurgents and limiting their

scope of action.

In these tasks the coordinated efforts of all, but

foremost of the United Nations, NATO and the

European Union, are vital. I would like to strongly

support the work of the United Nations Assistance

Mission in Afghanistan and the Special Representative

of the Secretary-General, Staffan de Mistura, in

Afghanistan. Their efforts should be appreciated and

fully supported by the international community. I want

to also pay tribute to the brave men and women of all

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)

contributing nations, including the roughly 600

Bulgarian troops, who risk their lives to bring security

to the people of Afghanistan.

Bulgaria’s commitment to the future of

Afghanistan is unfaltering, because we understand that

it is our joint obligation to bring security to that

tortured country, whose people deserve to be able to

enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that many of us

have. Bulgaria has increased its input to ISAF,

including through more training units, which will work

to build the capacity of the Afghan security forces. We

continue to support the European Union Police Mission

in Afghanistan, which, jointly with NATO’s Training

Mission, plays an important role. We support the

Afghan Government’s peace and reintegration

programme, in which the key role should be played by

the Afghan State. Our commitment to Afghanistan is

based on our firm belief that, if we succeed today, we

will all live safer tomorrow.

A comprehensive security system can rest only on

a robust partnership between the United Nations and

regional organizations. This is why Bulgaria believes

that the partnership between the European Union and

the United Nations is a strategic one. As the EU High

Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy,

Catherine Ashton, put it, “Our commitment to the

multilateral system of global governance through the

UN and other bodies is clear” and we work “with

conviction and clarity on the major challenges that face

us, be they climate change, poverty, conflict or

terrorism”.

The transformation of the EU into a legal subject

of international relations after the entry into force of

the Treaty of Lisbon has to be adequately reflected in a

resolution of the General Assembly regarding the

representation of the EU at the United Nations.

In closing, let me briefly touch on the reform of

the United Nations. Bulgaria is convinced that if we

are to effectively tackle the challenges of tomorrow, we

must continuously adapt and improve the United

Nations system. Therefore it is imperative that we

continue the course of reforms initiated by the 2005

World Summit.

We believe that the reform of the Security

Council is part of a comprehensive agenda for change

at the United Nations. Bulgaria declares itself in favour

of an enlargement of the Security Council capable of

generating the largest possible consensus. In that

context, Bulgaria has endorsed the enlargement of the

Council in its two categories — permanent and non

permanent members.

I started by reiterating our firm commitment to

multilateralism. The agenda of the United Nations is

broad and diverse, and I have attempted, on behalf of

the Government of Bulgaria, to briefly touch on just

some of the issues that ought to be discussed in this

forum.

Our commitment to multilateralism can be

equalled only by our unfaltering belief that dialogue

and diplomacy can achieve more than can

confrontation and war. More than half a century ago,

the United Nations came together and enshrined those

principles as the cornerstones of international law.

Since then, with varying degrees of success, we have

attempted to live by them. It is time for us to realize

that the global challenges of tomorrow can be tackled

only by collective action today. Nothing is impossible,

10-55264 36

but only if we work together, discuss, disagree and

agree, but share a goal — a peaceful and prosperous

world that is safe for all.