Finland, 2012

May I begin by congratulating

Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election as President of the

General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session. Let

me assure him that Finland is fully behind him as he

fulfils his important duties. We look forward to close

cooperation with him.

I have the pleasure and honour to address the

General Assembly for the first time as President of the

Republic of Finland. The United Nations is the forum

to which our peoples’ expectations are directed when

challenges that affect us all need to be addressed. We

in this Hall must recognize our responsibilities. We all

must be ready to shoulder them.

A profound change is sweeping over the globe.

Rapid economic growth in the countries of the global

South has already made greater well-being a reality for

hundreds of millions of people. More people have the

chance to lift themselves out of poverty. More people

have the opportunity for political participation. These

developments will make our world more just and less

prone to conflict. That is in Finland’s interest. It is in

the interests of us all.

At the same time, the tectonic plates of economic

power are shifting. Global instruments are needed

to manage that shift. The United Nations and the

various “G Groups” need to work together better. We

recognize that such groups have an important role to

play in making the United Nations a more dynamic and

relevant player in the world economy.

Finland sees itself as a responsible member of the

international community — a good global citizen, if

you will. We support the United Nations in word and

in deed because it is in our national interest to do so.

The United Nations is a genuinely universal forum for

cooperation. It has unique legitimacy. For us, it is an

indispensable means to promote international peace

and security, development and human rights. As a

small country — there are only some 5 million of us

Finns — a world order based on respect for the United

Nations Charter and international law is a must. It is

not an option.

Finland is a candidate for non-permanent

membership in the Security Council for the term

2013-2014. We wish to shoulder the responsibility that

membership in the Council entails. We believe that we could make a contribution. Finland would approach the

issues on the Council’s agenda as an engaged Member

State. We would be ready to look for constructive and

even-handed solutions to common problems. We believe

that as a small and militarily non-aligned Member State,

we have what it takes. Finland’s candidacy enjoys the

full support of the other Nordic countries — Denmark,

Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

The ability to prevent conflict around the world

remains the United Nations core mission. It is the

yardstick by which United Nations successes or

failures are measured. It is the Security Council that

shoulders the main responsibility for the maintenance

of international peace and security.

Peacekeeping mandated by the Council is an

important means at our disposal in that regard. Finland

has participated in United Nations peacekeeping as

long as it has been a Member State. We are also ready to

share with other Members and regional organizations

the expertise that we have gained with respect to

training peacekeepers. Our training centre, the Finnish

Defence Forces International Centre, is at the service of

the United Nations.

Peacekeeping is indispensable but is not enough.

Soldiers are needed to secure the conditions for peace

to begin to be built. However, in the end, peace is

built by civilians. That is why Finland has long paid

special attention to civilian crisis management. Finnish

experts — police officers and experts in the rule of

law, gender equality and human rights — participate

in peacekeeping operations in many parts of the world.

Effective mediation is also a must. Finland has

made a strong contribution to mediating conflicts.

My predecessor, President Martti Ahtisaari, won the

Nobel Peace Prize for his decades-long career as a

successful mediator. At the initiative of Finland and

Turkey, a resolution was adopted in this Hall last year

that strengthened the normative basis for mediation

(resolution 65/283). I am glad that the Secretary-

General will soon make his guidelines on mediation

available to all Member States, regional organizations

and other actors. I encourage him to make full use of

the powers that the Charter grants him in that regard.

Respect for the rule of law is part and parcel of

building peace in post-conflict societies. Impunity

often leaves behind the seeds of another conflict. In the

long run, economic development is sustainable only if

the rule of law is respected. It is encouraging that the High-level Meeting on the rule of law yesterday showed

that there is indeed the political commitment to further

such efforts.

Respect for the rule of law instructs us to honour

the beliefs of others, but it also requires us to condemn

all violence. Finland, together with the other Nordic

countries, will again introduce a draft resolution on

the protection of diplomatic missions in the General

Assembly. Upholding diplomatic rights and immunities

is in our common interest.

Poverty reduction is the ultimate means to secure

peace in many parts of the world. That requires, above

all, economic growth and a level playing-field for all.

Development cooperation can assist, especially in the

least developed countries. Those countries that already

suffer the effects of climate change are particularly

vulnerable and in need of our support. Finland has

a record of being a reliable partner for developing

countries stretching over half a century. Despite the

well-known budgetary pressures within the euro

zone, Finland has increased its outlay fordevelopment

cooperation to an annual level of about $1.5 billion in

recent years.

Weapons of mass destruction remain an existential

threat to international peace and security. Finland

has been a strong supporter of the Treaty on the

Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons from the very

beginning. The non-proliferation of nuclear weapons,

disarmament and the right to the peaceful use of nuclear

energy are all necessary parts of the whole.

Finland is prepared to host a conference on the

establishment of a Middle East zone free of nuclear

weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction this

year. The task has been described as difficult but, rest

assured, we will do our utmost to complete it. Nuclear

material cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong

hands. Finland is on track to fulfil the commitments

that we undertook at the Washington conference in

2010. National measures and international cooperation

are both needed to stop nuclear terrorism. As a user of

peaceful nuclear energy, Finland is strongly committed

to continuing the process.

Chemical weapons were totally banned some

years ago. The treaty is not yet universal, though.

The Finnish Institute for Verification of the Chemical

Weapons Convention is an established and respected

institution. Should the need arise in the Middle East, Finland is ready to put its expertise at the disposal of

the international community.

The conventional weapons trade clearly needs

better global regulation. It is regrettable that the

negotiations on the arms trade treaty ended without

the desired outcome. The goal is in sight, however. It is

important to ensure that the process continues within

the United Nations context. As one of the sponsors,

Finland continues to reach out for a substantive treaty

and one that is as universal as possible.

In Libya, the United Nations was instrumental in

laying the groundwork for a new and hopeful future for

its people. In Syria, the tragic situation is, if anything,

getting worse. The Security Council has not been able to

take the leading role that it is expected to take under the

Charter with respect to threats to peace such as in that

country. The General Assembly has, on the other hand,

sent a strong signal that the international community

cannot remain indifferent. The killings of civilians

must stop. All members of the Security Council must

cooperate to find a way out of the crisis. The authority

of the United Nations will suffer if efforts to end the

crisis move elsewhere.

The Syrian conflict has overshadowed the Middle

East peace process. That is something that the parties

and the international community can ill afford. A two-

State solution, within which an independent, viable and

contiguous Palestinian State lives in peace and security

with the State of Israel, is slipping out of reach. The

Palestinians have waited patiently. The negotiations

must restart. That is the only way forward. Renewed

negotiations need to result in a sustainable solution

that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian State,

while respecting Israel’s legitimate security concerns.

Settlements are squarely a contravention of international

law and a growing obstacle to peace.

The Security Council has powers, but with authority

comes responsibility. I hope that, in a few weeks, at

an election held here in this Hall, Finland is entrusted

by fellow Member States with such powers and the

attendant responsibility for two years. Finland will act

in the Council in accordance with the United Nations

Charter and on the basis of our values. We will work

constructively and pragmatically in order to maintain

and strengthen international peace and security to the

best of our ability.