Moldova, 1996

Allow me at the outset to congratulate Mr.

Razali most warmly on his election as President of this

session of the General Assembly of the United Nations.

I am convinced that his diplomatic qualities will

contribute greatly to the attainment of the objectives of

this session. It is my pleasure to express my gratitude to

His Excellency Mr. Diego Freitas do Amaral for the

excellent conduct and competence that he displayed

during his presidency of the previous session.

During the five years that have elapsed since the

declaration of our independence, and in the four years

since the Republic of Moldova was admitted to the

United Nations, we have tried to show the whole world

that we are a country that is seeking a worthy place in the

international community. My country’s choice of the rule

of law and a market economy has led to an increase in its

credibility at the international level. I should like to assure

the Assembly that the Republic of Moldova is irreversibly

committed to the path of democracy, which is the best

guarantee of sustainable development, peace and social

progress. I should like to stress that the process of

democratic reforms in our country has been, and

continues to be, supported by the United Nations and its

specialized agencies, by the European organizations and

by the entire international community. I take this

opportunity to extend thanks for this assistance, which is

essential for our programme of reforms.

The complex process of transition in the Republic of

Moldova and in the countries of Central and Eastern

Europe is facing difficulties that require additional means.

This reform has also created negative social phenomena,

which have particularly affected the most vulnerable

groups of the population. To alleviate these undesirable

effects, the Government has adopted and implemented

measures of social protection. The difficulties that we are

facing in promoting economic reforms are created not

only by a lack of experience but also by a shortage of

commodities and financial and energy resources. In this

respect, I should like to stress the importance of support

and encouragement offered to the Republic of Moldova

26

by the international financial institutions, by the United

Nations specialized agencies and by certain developed

countries. We will also need such support in the future to

smoothly carry out our reforms.

Integration into European economic and political

structures remains a priority of our foreign policy. We are

convinced that, given the objectives of economic and social

reform, the development and deepening of relations with

the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe

(OSCE), the Council of Europe and the European Union, as

well as close cooperation in the context of the Partnership

for Peace programme and the North Atlantic Cooperation

Council, take on a new dimension. Such a process also

creates favourable conditions for the affirmation of the

Republic of Moldova as a sovereign and independent State.

We state our willingness to cooperate with regional

organizations to ensure stability in Europe as well as peace

and security throughout the world. The choice of permanent

neutrality stipulated in our Constitution explains why the

Republic of Moldova is not participating in, and does not

intend to join, the military structures of the Commonwealth

of Independent States or of other regional organizations.

The conflict in the eastern part of my country remains

an obstacle to democratization and to progress on economic

reforms. We cannot ignore the continuing violations of

human rights in the Transdnestr. The international

community has been informed of them many times. Despite

our negotiations and many appeals of international

organizations, we have yet to obtain the release of the

members of the Ilascu group, who were sentenced and

imprisoned illegally four years ago by the anti-constitutional

authorities of Tiraspol.We are concerned that the Moldavian

population in the schools and institutions of this region of

the country are banned from using Latin characters in the

study of their mother tongue.

This conflict still remains a central concern, despite

negotiations, despite the spirit of compromise of the

political leaders, and despite their will to resolve the

problems in the eastern zone through peaceful means, in

cooperation with international organizations such as the

United Nations and the OSCE, and together with the

assistance of the affected States, Russia and the Ukraine,

which have expressed their willingness to be guarantors.

The Republic of Moldova believes that the only

solution to the conflict lies in the development of a draft

law related to the special status of Transdnestr as an

integral part of a unified and indivisible State, in

accordance with our Constitution. In the context of

negotiations, we have already signed several interim

documents covering various aspects of the normalization

of the situation in this region. We remain true to the

principle of territorial integrity and of the sovereignty of

the State, which we will always respect. Unfortunately,

the authorities of the anti-constitutional republic are not

yet ready to accept the principle of territorial integrity and

of the sovereignty of the State.

We reaffirm our willingness to continue negotiations

with the authorities of Tiraspol in order to find a solution

to the Transdnestr conflict.

We consider that the process of a peaceful and

definitive solution to the conflict in the eastern zone of

the Republic of Moldova could be considerably

accelerated through the immediate, complete, ordered and

unconditional withdrawal of military units of the Russian

Federation.

We are concerned by the fact that these foreign

troops continue to be stationed on the territory of the

Republic of Moldova, which is contrary to our

constitutional stipulation of the neutrality of our country.

Although the agreement between the Republic of

Moldova and the Russian Federation relating to the legal

status, the method and the terms of withdrawal of Russian

military contingents stationed temporarily on the territory

of Moldova was signed two years ago, the Russian State

Duma has yet to ratify the agreement. We hope that the

competent Russian authorities will accelerate the entry

into force and the implementation of the Moldovan-

Russian agreement of 21 October 1994.

As regards to the revitalization of the United Nations

and the reform of its structures in the spirit of

democratization and in accordance of the latest world

developments, we note with satisfaction that the United

Nations as a guarantor of international peace, stability and

security has expanded its efforts through improving the

mechanisms for maintaining peace and has intensified its

activities in the area of preventive diplomacy and the

settlement of regional conflicts, and has developed new

concepts and means for crisis management such as stand-

by commitments and rapid-reaction forces. The Republic

of Moldova welcomes the efforts of the Conference on

Disarmament towards the adoption of the Comprehensive

Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty.

At present, goals likely to help overcome the

financial crisis by finding the resources necessary for

effective action by the United Nations are fundamental. In

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our view, the reform of the United Nations must also cover

the financial aspect. We can attempt viable solutions only

with the participation of all Member States.

The Republic of Moldova is not indifferent to this

situation and will make efforts to meet its financial

obligations. However, it is my duty to stress that we are

obliged to bear an assessment that is calculated at a level

which is exaggerated in comparison with our real

possibilities. This calculation has led to a situation where

the scale of assessments for our country is higher than that

of States with a similar level of development. It is high

time that we found an appropriate methodology reflecting

the capacity to pay of States. We hope that the spirit of

fairness and solidarity that reigns in the United Nations will

lead the General Assembly to recommend that the

Committee on Contributions revise and readjust the scale of

assessment to the level of indices that would truly reflect

the parameters of the economies of Member States. In this

context, the Republic of Moldova supports the proposal of

the European Union regarding the methodology regarding

the calculation of the scale of assessments, which we

consider to be fairer and more appropriate to the real

payment capacity of all Member States than that which is

used now.

The Republic of Moldova supports United Nations

reforms aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the

Organization and its main bodies, considering that this

innovative process reflects reality and the changes which

have occurred in the international system following the

cold-war era.

At the same time, the Government of the Republic of

Moldova attaches particular importance to the role the

Security Council plays in preventing the development of

new threats to peace and international security. Developing

conflicts, acts of aggression and interference in the internal

affairs of States threaten regional and international security.

The role of the Security Council in avoiding these dangers

is of prime importance. Aware of this role of the Security

Council as a collective decision-making body in the area of

peace and international security, the Republic of Moldova

considers that a change in its composition must be carried

out without hindering its effectiveness.

My delegation feels that an increase in the number of

seats on the Security Council should be carried out in a

balanced way including both permanent and non-permanent

seats, which would provide access for new members from

both the North and the South. As regards new permanent

seats, the President of our Republic, His Excellency

Mr. Mircea Snegur, proposed at the forty-ninth session of

the General Assembly that the status of permanent

member be given to the major economic Powers which

play an important role in economic affairs, such as

Germany and Japan. As for the increase in the number of

non-permanent seats, we find the Italian proposal

interesting, as it reflects the interests of most States

Members of the United Nations and offers a well-

considered solution to this question.

The Republic of Moldova is devoted to the

principles and to the ideals of the Charter of the United

Nations, and greatly appreciates the activities of the

United Nations, which for more than five decades has

shown itself to be a forum for harmonizing the efforts of

the peoples of the world in order to maintain international

peace and security and to ensure the development of

relations of friendship and cooperation among Member

States. The actions undertaken by the United Nations have

from the very beginning pursued the goal of building new

relationships among countries of the whole world.

After four years of activity as a full Member, the

actions of the Republic of Moldova within the context of

the United Nations remain among the priorities of its

foreign policy, aimed at giving our State a more active

presence at the international level as well as at the

development and intensification of relations of friendship

and cooperation with all members of the international

community. The Republic of Moldova is in favour of

harmonizing the interests of Member States.

In conclusion, I would like to express the hope that

the particular constructive spirit of the United Nations

which reigns once again at this session of the General

Assembly will enable us to respond to the challenges

facing the international community at this time. I am

convinced that the United Nations will remain a guarantee

of international peace and security and of economic and

social development worldwide. My delegation expresses

its willingness to contribute to effective cooperation with

the delegations of all Member States in order to attain the

purposes of the United Nations.