North Macedonia, 2001

At the outset, allow me to convey our

deepest condolences to the American people and

Government for today's plane crash and to express our

deepest sympathies to the families of the victims for

their tragic loss. Our condolences also extend to the

people and Government of the Dominican Republic,

whose nationals comprised most of those on board.

Pleading for concerted action against terrorism

and for urgent accession by States to all relevant

international conventions, the Millennium Summit

anticipated the need for more effective and

comprehensive joint efforts and cooperation. The tragic

events of 11 September united the world and reaffirmed

the resolve of all of us to fight the battle against

terrorism, gathered around our common values and

interests. That unprecedented terrorist attack took place

during the United Nations Year of Dialogue among

Civilizations. The fatal message of terrorism is to

destroy the very essence of dialogue as a global

response to conflict and violence.

By adopting several resolutions, the United

Nations demonstrated powerful solidarity and readiness

to combat terrorism. Today that has been reaffirmed by

Security Council resolution 1377 (2001), which

adopted a declaration on the global effort to combat

terrorism.

By expressing its strong condemnation of the

attacks and its solidarity with the American people and

Government, my country, the Republic of Macedonia,

immediately joined the call to establish a global

international anti-terrorist coalition. We undertook

concrete measures as our contribution to the global

efforts and to cooperation to curb terrorist activities.

As a response to terrorism and conscious of the

fact that terrorism transcends borders, we also

proposed the establishment of a regional anti-terrorist

pact, stemming from our terrible experience with

terrorism over the last eight months. We called upon

the international community to cut off financial support

for terrorist activities and, in that context, to strengthen

the fight against organized crime, aware of the strong

link between those evil phenomena. The resolution of

regional conflicts is yet another significant contribution

we can make to the fight against terrorism.

With regard to relevant international instruments,

we believe that the existing United Nations

conventions provide a solid international legal

framework for the implementation of many measures

intended to eradicate terrorism. While we strongly

support the adoption of a comprehensive convention

against terrorism and a consensus on a global definition

of terrorism, their lack should not prevent us from

taking action.

Action is needed now, from all of us all

countries, regions and international organizations.

There is no alternative to international cooperation and

partnership, as there is no alternative to the common

fight against organized crime, which feeds terrorism.

But there is one matter we have to keep in mind:

different approaches towards acts of terrorism

undermine our struggle. There is no big or small

terrorism, nor international or domestic, nor one that is

tolerated and one that is not. No one should be allowed

to practice terror; the consequences are equally

devastating. We have to defend more vigorously than

ever our shared values of democracy, human rights and

the rule of law. We must not allow ourselves to be

manipulated through the use of social, economic,

religious and political differences as justification for

terrorism.

For the past 10 years the Republic of Macedonia

has developed a democratic society, a factor of stability

in the Balkans. Our model of inter-ethnic relations was

set out as an example and was applauded by the

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international community. Then, eight months ago,

Macedonia was exposed to violent terrorist attacks that

threatened to undermine all our achievements. Under

the cloak of struggling for minority and human rights,

the so-called National Liberation Army (NLA) ─

whose structure, command and control and logistics are

of Kosovo provenance ─ wanted to realize one aim: the

division of Macedonia and changing the borders in the

region.

Our response to those attacks was military,

political and diplomatic. The Framework Agreement of

13 August of this year, which was signed by the leaders

of the four main political parties, is a result of our

strong commitment to finding a political solution to the

crisis as the best way to defend our country and

undermine the goals of the terrorists. But let me

reiterate that we will also defend our country by other

means if necessary.

The cost of terrorism for Macedonia was high:

lost lives, destroyed homes and thousand of refugees

and internally displaced persons. The crisis also caused

economic downfall and a large budget deficit. It has

had a negative impact on the country's development

and has increased unemployment and poverty rates. I

therefore urge the international community, financial

institutions and, in particular, the European Union to

address our needs at the upcoming donors' conference

and to consider the possibility of writing off our

foreign debts.

At this point, allow me to underline that the

international community gives strong political support

to the Republic of Macedonia. The European Union,

the Organization for Security and Cooperation in

Europe (OSCE) and NATO are playing an important

role in overcoming the crisis, for which we are

grateful.

I would also like to commend the prompt reaction

by the Security Council. The awareness that the

problems in Macedonia were largely inspired in and

imported from neighbouring Kosovo resulted in the

adoption of resolution 1345 (2001), by which the

Council, inter alia, strongly condemned extremist

violence, including terrorist activities, and supported

the Macedonian Government in its efforts to end the

violence in a manner consistent with the rule of law.

On 26 September the Council adopted resolution 1371

(2001), which supported the full implementation of the

Framework Agreement and rejected the use of violence

in pursuit of political goals. Even though the United

Nations was not directly involved in the resolution of

the crisis in Macedonia, it is present on the ground

through its agencies, working in cooperation with the

Government to alleviate the consequences. We are

grateful for their help, too.

Despite the efforts of the Republic of Macedonia

and the international community, attempts are still

being made to block the work of the parliament and to

obstruct the implementation of the Framework

Agreement. The latest events in the Tetovo area, the

death of three policemen and the kidnapping of

Macedonian civilians are proof that violence continues.

We should all condemn these obstacles to peace and

stability. Macedonia is determined to pursue the path of

peace and will not allow these events to blur our vision

and detract us from our main goals of building a strong

democracy at home and becoming integrated into Euro-

Atlantic structures.

The recent history of crises has shown more than

ever the importance of cooperation and solidarity

among the countries of our region, and we have acted

accordingly. The integration into the European Union

and NATO is a common goal of all the countries in the

region of South-Eastern Europe. We are all aware that

membership is a solution to lasting stability and

prosperity.

We are determined to contribute to the

strengthening of international peace and security, to

enhancing international cooperation in all areas and to

strengthening the role of the United Nations. This year,

the Republic of Macedonia submitted, and the First

Committee adopted without a vote, a draft resolution

on the maintenance of international security good-

neighbourliness, stability and development in South-

Eastern Europe. That resolution was co-sponsored by

46 Member States.

The struggle against terrorism must not deter us

from taking up other important parts of the United

Nations agenda. At last year's Millennium Summit we

identified the direction of future United Nations

activities to which we committed ourselves: the

eradication of poverty, the struggle against AIDS,

conflict prevention and the protection of the

environment. On this occasion, however, let me refer to

the matter of the rights and well-being of children, and

in that context to reiterate the importance of the

upcoming special session on children as a forum to

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review the progress achieved and the further steps that

need to be taken for the benefit of children all over the

world.

Furthermore, globalization remains one of the

most important issues on the international agenda. It is

obvious that there are some essential problems that

need to be addressed immediately. In the new

millennium, it is crucial for the international

community to address the development agenda in a

more appropriate way. We believe that the United

Nations has a major role to play in this process. Next

year's International Conference on Financing for

Development and the World Summit on Sustainable

Development are the most important events in this

respect, and we should all contribute as best we can to

their successful outcome. Another important issue is

the launching of the new comprehensive trade

negotiations under World Trade Organization

patronage, with special emphasis on the problems of

marginalization, sustainable development and

implementation of all multilateral environmental

agreements.

After 11 September, the world changed. We have

to adjust to the new realities. There are many

challenges ahead of us, and the United Nations has to

be better prepared to deal with them. That will require

even greater commitment on our part. The strength and

the success of our Organization depend on the resolve

of all its Members to respond to the new realities in a

more efficient, relevant and adroit manner. We all have

our part to play in this respect. This is the best

contribution we can make to building a better world for

all of us.

Last, but not least, allow me also to extend my

sincere congratulations to the United Nations and to its

Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, on the Nobel Peace

Prize award. This is yet another proof of the lasting

relevance of the principles and values of our

Organization as enshrined in the United Nations

Charter and of the outstanding leadership of its

Secretary-General.