Montenegro, 2012

It is a great honour

to deliver these remarks on behalf of Montenegro. At the

outset, allow me to address two friends and colleagues.

I would like to congratulate you, Sir, on your election to

preside over the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh

session. You will enjoy, as always, the full cooperation

and support of Montenegro in this important task. I

would also like to pay tribute to Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz

Al-Nasser for his contribution to the work of the

General Assembly, especially in promoting mediation

as a means of settling disputes by peaceful means.

I extend special appreciation to Secretary-General

Ban Ki-moon for his efforts to promote multilateralism

and joint action in ensuring a peaceful, secure and

prosperous world. I would especially like to reiterate

our satisfaction with his recent successful visit to

Montenegro, which confirmed the strong partnership

between the United Nations and my country.

Montenegro has always been strongly committed

to multilateral cooperation and respect for the purposes

and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United

Nations. We have demonstrated this in our region by

promoting good-neighbourly relations and regional

cooperation, as well as worldwide through support

for and participation in global efforts to build and

maintain peace.

The High-level Meeting on the Rule of Law that

preceded the general debate once again stressed the

importance of democratic governance and respect

for human rights. These are preconditions for the

prosperity of all our citizens and of society as a whole.

Failure in this regard is our common concern. We

therefore stress the individual responsibility of all

countries to strengthen the rule of law and promote

human rights, as well as the role of the United Nations

in providing adequate and efficient support to these

efforts. Respect for the rule of law at the international

level, national ownership of rule of law activities, and

the incorporation and effective implementation of

international norms within our domestic legal systems

are our key objectives.

Strengthening international partnership in

maintaining and building peace and security is

crucial. As a Mediterranean country, we share the

concerns of the international community for the recent

developments in the southern Mediterranean and the

Middle East.

The scale and consequences of the violence in

Syria serve as a stern reminder of the importance of

preventive measures in preserving international peace

and security; hence the need to enhance United Nations

preventive capacities and the role of dialogue and

mediation in peaceful conflict resolution. Montenegro

strongly advocates an approach that emphasizes the early prevention and elimination of threats before they

evolve into sources of conflict.

The responsibility to protect and its

operationalization remain a key task. In the era

of accountability, perpetrators of crimes against

humanity should not go unpunished. Countries need

to demonstrate strong commitment to the rule of law,

respect for human rights and freedoms, democracy and

non-use of force in settling disputes.

Montenegro stands ready to increase its participation

in peacekeeping operations, in accordance with its

capacities and in line with international efforts. We

support in particular United Nations initiatives aimed

at improving civilian protection and the development

of civilian capacities for maintaining stability by

advancing the mandates of peacekeeping missions.

In that context, we fully support the implementation

of Security Council resolution 1325 (2000) and

strengthening the role of women in conflict and post-

conflict situations.

My country is firmly dedicated to the comprehensive

implementation of the United Nations Global Counter-

Terrorism Strategy, as well as the United Nations

sanctions regime. With regard to the Global Strategy

review, we fully endorse the proposal of the Secretary-

General to appoint a United Nations counter-terrorism

coordinator in order to improve strategic coordination,

coherence and substantive implementation of the

Strategy.

We strongly support global efforts for disarmament

and non-proliferation, while stressing that the

fight against transnational threats, such as human

trafficking, cybercrime and the illicit drug trade,

require a comprehensive approach.

As a multicultural country, Montenegro builds

its society on principles of understanding, tolerance

and mutual respect. Diversity does not divide but

enriches our society, thanks to tradition and trust built

throughout the long Montenegrin history. As we have

recently witnessed, differences can be abused and

easily turn into senseless acts of violence against the

innocent, which is unacceptable. My country therefore

remains committed to promoting intercultural dialogue,

tolerance and respect at all levels.

In the six years following the restoration of its

independence, Montenegro has achieved significant

progress, both in internal development and in

international relations. We have very good relations

with all our neighbours, while the region as a whole

stands before a unique challenge to demonstrate that it

is capable of reinforcing overall cooperation.

Montenegro actively participates in all regional

processes and initiatives aimed at intensifying mutual

and constructive cooperation and strengthening

security and stability in South-East Europe. After

its turbulent past, the region is brought together by

the common strategic goal of European integration.

Although there remain issues that need international

assistance and support, we have achieved a new

level of trust, development and maturity that have

resulted in the individual progress of each country in

European and Euro-Atlantic integration. The opening

of European Union accession negotiations in June this

year and our continuous progress on our Euro-Atlantic

path represent strong recognition of the results we have

achieved. We are fully focused on and committed to

continuing the implementation of reforms and reaching

the highest international standards, in particular in the

areas of the rule of law, human rights and freedoms, and

democratic governance. Strengthening institutional and

human capacities will reinforce our political stability

and economic prosperity, as is essential in this time of

ever-evolving crises that affect us all.

Progress in the integration processes does not mean

the absence of problems. We attach great importance

to resolving issues essential for the development of our

society, such as the empowerment of women, improving

the situation of the Roma population, and settling the

status of refugees, internally displaced persons and other

vulnerable groups. We are fully committed to tackling

these complex challenges through efficient and lasting

solutions and models for the better social integration

of every individual. We are particularly aware of this

at times when social and economic disparities become

more visible and demand stronger efforts by the State

for their elimination.

The promotion of and respect for human rights

are important goals in our internal and foreign policy

agenda. We are therefore confident that Montenegro

will gain the trust of States Members of the United

Nations this coming November and be elected to the

Human Rights Council for the period 2013-2015. We are

strongly committed to contributing to the efficiency and

effectiveness of the Council and the system of protection

and improvement of human rights and freedoms.

Support for the United Nations High Commissioner for

Human Rights, full cooperation with the Council and its special procedures, and active promotion of human

rights and freedoms at the international level in order

to respond in a timely manner to situations of human

rights violations in the world — these will be major

guidelines for our activities in the Council.

The results of the implementation of the United

Nations Delivering as One reform programme speak

in favour not only of reform of the Organization,

but also of even greater effectiveness in adapting

the United Nations to the development needs of a

country. Montenegro has achieved tangible progress

in implementing an integrated programme and, to

a certain extent, is already implementing the joint

programming model as a next phase of Delivering

as One. Strengthening national ownership and joint

programming, as well as making use of the relative

advantages of the various United Nations agencies,

are fundamental principles on which our cooperation

programme is based up to 2016. We will continue to

support all efforts aimed at improving the United

Nations system and its effectiveness and operational

activities in the field.

Sustainable development, poverty reduction and

economic growth, conflict and post-conflict situations

are just some of the issues that require joint action.

In that context, sustainable development with all its

pillars stands out as our priority. Montenegro is among

the countries that are on track to meet the Millennium

Development Goals (MDGs). In that regard, we stress

the importance of the MDGs as a basis for defining

sustainable development goals, which must be a central

part of the global post-2015 development agenda and

thus help us to form a clear expression of political

commitment to sustainable development. We stand

ready to actively contribute to shaping and determining

the necessary indicators, as well as timelines for

their implementation. We believe that the question

of sustainable development, as well as the issue of

reaching legally binding agreements on climate change

within the United Nations Framework Convention on

Climate Change, must involve compromise on the part

of United Nations Members. We therefore hope to see

positive developments at the Doha Conference.

A shared determination, openness and willingness

to reach compromise and accept reality are all truly

necessary in order for us to move forward. Our

commitment to meeting the MDGs should not be

neglected, however difficult the economic and financial

situation worldwide. Eradicating poverty, and creating partnerships with civil society and the private sector so

as to enable us to achieve sustainable energy for all by

2030, as well as the Zero Hunger Challenge launched

by the Secretary-General, are our common objectives.

Together we can achieve those goals.

At a time when interdependence and integration

are major trends in global politics, no country on its

own can handle the increasingly demanding challenges

posed by modern society. Cooperation is a prerequisite

for success. I am confident that small countries like

Montenegro can play an important role and be part of

the solution. We remain dedicated to the principles of

cooperation and mutual trust, and strongly committed

to contributing to strengthening the United Nations

system and its role in global governance, at both the

national and the international levels.

Before I conclude, allow me to add a small, personal

note. The first time I attended the General Assembly,

I was an attaché from the then Socialist Federative

Republic of Yugoslavia. Today, many years and three

different States later, I have the privilege of standing

before the Assembly as head of the delegation of my

country, Montenegro. The world may have changed in

ways we never anticipated, but our Organization and

what it stands for have weathered the challenges and

remain globally important and equally valuable for

every one of us.