Moldova, 2008

At the

outset, I would like to congratulate His Excellency

Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann on his election to the high

and responsible position of the President of the General

Assembly at its sixty-third session and to pledge our

full support and assistance as Vice-President of the

General Assembly.

Our world is facing major problems and

challenges that demand a strengthened and revitalized

Organization capable of addressing global issues. From

that perspective, the Republic of Moldova fully

supports the United Nations reform process in

accordance with the main directions reflected in the

final document of the 2005 World Summit (resolution

60/)1, subsequent initiatives of the Secretary-General

and resolutions adopted on key aspects of the reform of

the Organization’s structures and management.

We support strengthening the coordinating role of

the Economic and Social Council in developing global

economic and social policies, promoting dialogue and

intensifying cooperation with international financial,

economic and trade institutions and Governments in

attaining the Millennium Development Goals, as well

as the Council’s involvement in addressing

humanitarian crisis situations and issues related to

post-conflict reconstruction.

The decision to launch intergovernmental

negotiations will bring a new impetus to Security

Council reform and will stimulate and increase the

efficiency of United Nations activities in the field of

international security and peacekeeping, including

through developing cooperation with regional

organizations and Member States in identifying

solutions to conflicts in different parts of the world.

The events that occurred in South Ossetia,

Georgia, have proved once again that frozen conflicts

generate instability and threaten regional and

international security. The Republic of Moldova

subscribed to the European Union (EU) declaration

regarding the degradation of the situation in South

Ossetia, delivered at the extraordinary meeting of the

Permanent Council of the Organization for Security

and Cooperation in Europe on 8 August 2008, and calls

for the full implementation of the peace plan mediated

under the French presidency of the EU. At the same

time, categorically rejecting all methods of settlement

by force, including those used to ensure territorial

integrity, the Moldovan Government does not consider

that international recognition of Abkhazia and South

Ossetia will stabilize the situation.

In the specific case of the Transdniestrian

conflict, the Republic of Moldova acted and continues

to act in accordance with the law on basic provisions of

the special legal status of the localities on the left bank

of the Nistru River which was adopted unanimously on

22 July 2005 and which provides for resolution of the

Transdniestrian conflict by political means only.

Believing that demilitarization and

democratization of the Transdniestrian region are

essential to a viable resolution of the conflict, the

President of the Republic of Moldova has advanced a

number of initiatives on security for and confidence-

building between both banks of the Nistru River.

A strategy for conflict resolution based on a

complex approach consisting of packaged proposals for

all conflict-related issues — political, economic, social

and humanitarian — has been adopted. It envisages a

special legal status for the Transdniestrian region that

includes respect for the sovereignty and territorial

integrity of the Republic of Moldova, consolidation of

the neutrality status, withdrawal of foreign troops from

the country’s territory and recognition of ownership

rights and firm guarantees for the population.

At the same time, the activities of the European

Union Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and

Ukraine (EUBAM) and its close cooperation with the

relevant institutions in charge of border management in

both States have contributed to increased security and

transparency at the border, which creates a more

favourable atmosphere for settlement of the

Transdniestrian conflict. At present our efforts, as well

as those of mediators and observers, are directed to

7 08-53135

resuming negotiations in the Five plus two format with

a view to a final resolution of that conflict.

The Assembly’s review meeting to assess the

implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-

Terrorism Strategy, on 4 September 2008, emphasized

both the progress registered by the United Nations and

its Member States during the last years and the

deficiencies in the fight against international terrorism.

In that context, I would like to reaffirm that as a party

to 13 international conventions and other, regional and

bilateral treaties in that field, the Government of the

Republic of Moldova continues to take concrete steps

in fighting terrorism in accordance with the provisions

of those instruments, relevant Security Council

resolutions and national documents, including the

National Strategy for Preventing and Fighting Money-

Laundering and Terrorism Funding.

The Republic of Moldova will further undertake

all possible steps for contributing to United Nations

actions in consolidating international legislation in the

field of countering international terrorism, especially in

view of the finalizing of the development and adoption

of the comprehensive convention on international

terrorism and organization of the high-level conference

on terrorism under United Nations auspices. We

consider that in the framework of those activities,

increased attention should be given to the issues related

to fighting terrorism that is fuelled by separatist

tendencies that affect States’ sovereignty and territorial

integrity.

Climate change is an inherent challenge for

sustainable development. Global warming and its

effects, including natural disasters and food and energy

crises, have become major threats for the global

population and for international security. After the

terrible drought of last year — the consequences of

which we are still overcoming — the Republic of

Moldova was hit this summer by the most serious

floods of the last two centuries, which affected over

10,000 hectares of agricultural and private lands,

destroyed hundreds of houses and other buildings and

caused damages exceeding $120 million.

We would like to express our gratitude for the

assistance provided by the United Nations Office for

the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs by other

specialized institutions, including the United Nations

Development Programme and UNICEF, and by

Member States to alleviate the consequences of the

floods.

The Republic of Moldova fully supports the

activity of the High-Level Task Force on the Global

Food Security Crisis, established and headed by the

Secretary-General. Development and implementation

of a comprehensive plan for food security, in

cooperation with relevant United Nations agencies and

the Bretton Woods institutions, would constitute an

important step for overcoming the food crisis.

The Government of the Republic of Moldova is

undertaking concrete action with a view to reducing

the impact of the food crisis on the situation in the

country. At present, a national agriculture and food

security programme is being developed. We consider

that the high-level meeting on the Millennium

Development Goals held on 25 September and the

organization of annual meetings on monitoring the

engagement and implementation of those goals

constitute new and important opportunities for

implementing the achievement of all internationally

accepted development objectives. Their implementation

is still possible in the majority of countries if

consolidated actions directed towards concrete results

are established and continuously sustained and

developed until the year 2015.

The progress achieved with the support of the

European Union (EU) in the implementation of the

Moldova-EU Action Plan and in conforming the

national standards to the European standards has

opened new opportunities for the advancement of

Moldovan-European relations. We highly appreciate

the constructive cooperation with the EU in that

process and continue to rely on the assistance of its

member States in ensuring development and the

gradual integration of our country into the European

Union.

At the same time, we rely on the support and the

opportunities offered by the United Nations and

Member States with a view to promoting the political,

social and economic policies of the country and its

European integration aspirations and to ensuring

settlement of the Transdniestrian conflict, withdrawal

of foreign military troops and accomplishment of the

development priorities of the country.

I would like to reiterate the attachment of the

Republic of Moldova to the ideals of the United

Nations and its commitment to continuously cooperate

08-53135 8

with Member States towards achieving the important

objectives of the Organization.