Moldova, 2009

I am deeply honoured to

address the General Assembly on behalf of the

Republic of Moldova. At the outset, I would like to

congratulate His Excellency Mr. Ali Abdussalam Treki

on his election to the presidency of the General

Assembly at its sixty-fourth session, to wish him

success and to assure his Bureau of the full support of

our delegation. I would also like to pay tribute to the

Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, for his high

competence and professionalism, and his tireless

efforts in leading the United Nations in these complex

times.

The distinguished speakers who have taken the

floor in this debate have elaborated extensively on the

most pressing issues that the international community

has faced over the past year. The current financial and

economic crisis, the food and energy crises, the first flu

pandemic of this century, and climate change have

been at the core of deliberations in the United Nations,

revealing the central role of the Organization in dealing

with these problems. A reformed, robust and effective

Organization has to deliver prompt reactions and

sustainable responses to the major challenges to peace,

security and development: disarmament and

non-proliferation, climate change, food and energy

security, and the spread of international terrorism.

We commend the efforts of the Secretary-General

in strengthening the United Nations and promoting the

core values enshrined in our founding Charter: the

fundamental principles of peace, justice and human

rights. The Republic of Moldova supports the ongoing

process of reform of the United Nations aimed at

creating a revitalized, representative, efficient and

more responsive Organization. Following significant

advances in the reform of its principal organs, we

recognize the steps being undertaken towards reform of

the Security Council, which undoubtedly necessitates a

firm political pledge on the part of the entire

membership.

In our opinion, the expansion of the Security

Council is a matter not only of equity but also of

efficiency. Any proposal for reform of the Council has

to reflect the legitimate aspirations of the regional

groups. Thus, in supporting the expansion of the

Council in both permanent and non-permanent

categories, we believe it indispensable to allocate an

additional non-permanent seat to the Eastern European

Group.

By virtue of the primary responsibility of the

Security Council laid down in the United Nations

Charter, its reform should also contain provisions for

consolidating United Nations operational capacities in

the field and revitalizing peacekeeping operations in

order to make them more effective and capable of

achieving their goals, including the development of

cooperation with regional organizations and Member

States for the resolution of conflicts in various areas of

the globe.

Building a safer world requires the greater

commitment of Member States in the area of

disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation. We

have recently witnessed a historic summit of the

Security Council, which voted to stop the spread of

nuclear arms and endorsed a broad framework of

action to reduce global nuclear dangers. The Republic

of Moldova welcomes the results of the most recent

Conference on Facilitating the Entry into Force of the

Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and looks

forward to continued positive trends in the work of the

Conference on Disarmament and the Preparatory

Committee for the Review Conference of the Parties to

the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear

Weapons.

The current global economic and financial crisis,

one of the most serious since the creation of the United

Nations, has affected virtually all countries, including

the Republic of Moldova. In 2008, the previous

Communist Government in Chisinau denied the

existence of an economic and financial crisis; only

after its defeat in the elections of 29 July 2009 did its

representatives begin to raise the alarm.

The current administration, the Alliance for

European Integration, is assuming full responsibility

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for managing the economic crisis by attracting funds

from international financial organizations, securing

foreign investment, providing jobs, reviving the real

sector of the economy, ensuring the de-monopolization

of production sectors, and liberalizing exports and

imports. The liberal democratic Government relies on

the support of United Nations institutions and all

international structures in promoting the rule of law,

safeguarding fundamental human rights and freedoms,

and ensuring the functionality of democratic

institutions and the freedom of mass media.

The Republic of Moldova followed intently the

work of the high-level Conference on the World

Financial and Economic Crisis and Its Impact on

Development, held this summer at the United Nations,

and welcomed the adoption of its Outcome Document

(resolution 63/303). The Conference highlighted once

again the role of the United Nations and gave a strong

impetus to the dialogue on identifying solutions for

overcoming the crisis and reforming the international

financial architecture.

At the same time, Moldova stands for

strengthening the Economic and Social Council’s

coordinating role in formulating global economic and

social policies and in further promoting active dialogue

with the international financial institutions and the

Governments of Member States in implementing the

Millennium Development Goals.

Nine years ago, in September 2000, the world’s

leaders committed our countries to a global partnership

in fighting poverty and achieving the Millennium

Development Goals. Today, in the context of the global

economic and financial crisis, considerable common

efforts on the part of developed and developing

countries alike are needed to achieve our commitments

by 2015. We welcome the decision to convene a high-

level meeting in 2010 dedicated to evaluating the

Millennium Summit decisions.

The General Assembly has proclaimed 2009 the

International Year of Reconciliation and the

International Year of Human Rights Learning, and

21 September as an International Day of Peace. It is in

this vein that we would like to reiterate the necessity

for an increased United Nations role and strengthened

cooperation with regional organizations, such as the

Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe,

in preventing and managing crisis and conflict

situations; guaranteeing respect for and the promotion

of fundamental human rights in separatist regions;

undertaking more efficient international actions to

stabilize the situation in countries affected by internal

conflict; and taking a complex approach under

international law to mediation and conflict resolution.

The intensification of international cooperation with a

view to solving conflicts and preventing the future

emergence or escalation of crisis situations that

threaten the sovereignty and territorial integrity of

States is of paramount importance for the Republic of

Moldova, which faces a secessionist movement in the

eastern regions of the country.

Respecting the principle of the peaceful

resolution of conflicts, we are confident that the

demilitarization and democratization of the

Transdniestrian region are indispensable to a viable

solution to the Transdniestrian problem. The new

Liberal Democratic Government’s coalition will

undertake sustainable efforts to identify a lasting

solution to the Transdniestrian problem in the current

five plus two format and will consistently urge an

increased United States and European Union (EU) role

in the resolution process. Concurrently, the Republic of

Moldova will revive its efforts towards the withdrawal

of foreign troops from the country, replacing the

present peacekeeping operation with a multinational

mission with an international mandate, and achieving

the integration of the country in all socio-economic

segments by encouraging the broad participation of the

non-governmental sector.

We will consistently act in accordance with the

law on the basic provisions of the Special Legal Status

of Localities from the Left Bank of the Dniester River,

adopted unanimously by Parliament on 22 July 2005.

Focused on the creation of conditions needed for

reconciliation and advancing the resolution process, we

put forward a series of initiatives in 2007 to strengthen

trust and security between the two banks of the

Dniester River, in particular by ensuring free

movement, instituting common participation in

developing and implementing projects to restore and

modernize infrastructure, and addressing various social

issues.

Unfortunately, the so-called Transdniestrian

authorities time and again have undermined these

initiatives by introducing illegal customs taxes,

impeding the elections process in the villages situated

on the left bank of the Dniester River, and confiscating

school premises, gravely violating the right of the

25 09-53165

Moldovan citizens to study in their native language.

The implementation of democratic reforms and the

normalization of the economic and social climate on

the right side of the Dniester will accelerate the

resolution of the Transdniestrian problem.

The Republic of Moldova appreciates the activity

of the EU Border Assistance Mission to Moldova and

Ukraine and its close cooperation with the relevant

border management bodies in both States. Its

contribution to border security and transparency has

created a more constructive atmosphere in which to

seek a resolution of the Transdniestrian problem. The

Republic of Moldova will further direct its efforts to

resuming negotiations in the existing format in view of

resolving the Transdniestrian problem. We count on the

consistent support and political will of all mediators

and observers in the resolution of this conflict.

Ongoing terrorist activities in various parts of the

world demonstrate that terrorism continuously

threatens the security, fundamental democratic values,

human rights and the letter of the law that are the basis

of the United Nations Charter. This scourge can be

defeated only by firm, common action by the

international community. In this context, we would like

to reaffirm that the Republic of Moldova fully

participates in the global fight against terrorism by

implementing measures at the national level and by

contributing to the international community’s efforts.

The new Government of Moldova will take concrete

action in combating international terrorism in

accordance with international instruments, pertinent

resolutions of the Security Council and relevant

national documents, such as our national strategy for

preventing and combating money-laundering and the

financing of terrorism.

In compliance with the United Nations Global

Counter-Terrorism Strategy (see resolution 60/288), the

Republic of Moldova will further contribute to future

United Nations efforts at consolidating international

legislation to combat terrorism, especially in view of

finalizing the negotiations of the comprehensive

convention on international terrorism and organizing a

high-level conference on terrorism under United

Nations auspices. We believe that special attention

needs to be paid to fighting those aspects of terrorism

that are nourished by separatist tendencies that affect

the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States.

Climate change poses a grave challenge to the

international community. Global warming and its

related effects, including natural disasters, have

become major threats to our peoples and to

international security. Its consequences greatly affect

vulnerable States, compromising economic growth and

the achievement of the Millennium Development

Goals. International cooperation is essential to dealing

with the obvious threat of climate change. We have to

raise alarm concerning the urgent need to strengthen

regional and global cooperation and to enhance the

assistance of donor States to developing countries and

to countries with economies in transition.

In recent years, the Republic of Moldova has

been confronted with considerable natural calamities,

from acute droughts to severe floods. Each year, the

intensity and frequency of these phenomena increase.

The harm caused to the population, to the agricultural

and food sectors, as well as to the overall national

economy is huge. In this respect, the implementation of

the United Nations Conventions addressing climate

change and desertification and the development of an

international strategy for disaster reduction are of

increasing urgency for countries severely affected by

droughts and desertification.

The Republic of Moldova recognizes the

importance of environmental protection to ensuring the

sustainable development of the country, as well as the

need for this issue to inform all national policies. In

this connection, we welcome the outcome of last

week’s Summit on Climate Change and strongly

support the continuation of negotiations. We hope that

we will conclude the forthcoming Copenhagen

Conference with a new far-reaching document. We

praise the Secretary-General’s efforts in mobilizing the

political will needed for the adoption of a new,

equitable and ambitious agreement.

The Republic of Moldova strongly supports the

activity of the High-Level Task Force on the Global

Food Security Crisis set up and led by the Secretary-

General. The efficient collaboration between the Food

and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,

the Bretton Woods institutions and other relevant

United Nations structures, aimed at mobilizing new

funds in order to overcome the global food crisis, will

significantly contribute to the achievement of a

comprehensive action plan on food security. We

support the convening of the World Summit on Food

Security in Rome in November this year.

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The Republic of Moldova is firm in its path

towards European integration and committed to the

universal values of peace, democracy, respect for

human rights, the rule of law and economic freedom.

European integration constitutes the major strategic

goal of Moldova’s foreign and internal policies. We

welcome positive developments in our relations with

the European Union and their progress over the past

few years, particularly after the victory of the Alliance

for European Integration in the parliamentary elections

held on 29 July 2009.

The new Government will firmly pursue the goal

of rehabilitating the image of the Republic of Moldova

in the international arena and will negotiate in the near

future a new association agreement with the European

Union. The leaders of the Alliance for European

Integration are firmly committed to an efficient reform

of the socio-economic system in the Republic of

Moldova, without which the advancement of the

country towards progress and prosperity is hardly

possible. Those commitments represent eloquent proof

of the positive evolution of the political situation in the

Republic of Moldova after the recent parliamentary

elections. The democratic process has been resumed.

The new Parliament has accepted the

responsibility of complying with all the

recommendations formulated by the European

Parliament and the Parliamentary Assembly of the

Council of Europe with regard to the events of 7 April.

Those recommendations call for Moldova to improve

its electoral legislation and to initiate the process of

direct application of EU legislation. From this

perspective, we count on the support and opportunities

offered by the United Nations and its Member States to

promote Moldova’s political and social economic

objectives, its aspirations to European integration, the

resolution of the Transdniestrian problem and the

withdrawal of foreign troops.

In conclusion, I would like to confirm the

adherence of the Republic of Moldova to the ideals of

the United Nations and the will to further cooperate

through concrete action with a view to accomplishing

the commitments assumed. While respecting the

diversity of views, cultures and religions of everyone,

we must also be united in reaching for a common

goal — protecting humanity and preserving human

dignity as a foremost universal value.