North Macedonia, 2008

It is a great

honour and pleasure for me to have the opportunity to

address this distinguished gathering of statesmen from

United Nations Member States. Despite past and

continuing challenges, this Organization remains an

irreplaceable forum where the representatives of many

nations can exchange opinions concerning the most

pressing issues facing the world we all live in.

Allow me at the outset to welcome the election of

Mr. Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann of Nicaragua as

President of the Assembly at its sixty-third session. I

convey to him our unwavering readiness to cooperate

during the year of his mandate. At the same time, allow

me to congratulate the previous President, my

compatriot Srgjan Kerim, on his contribution to the

work of the world Organization over the past year,

during which numerous issues of global importance

5 08-51845

were considered. Through his engagement, my country,

the Republic of Macedonia, has confirmed in the best

possible way the values for which we stand and the

principles in which we believe when it comes to

international relationships, namely, multilateralism as

the key tool for cooperation and for the promotion of

the fundamental values of peace, democracy and

human rights and freedoms.

I take this opportunity also to welcome the efforts

of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who

contributed greatly to the useful and functional

operation of the Organization over the past year.

In 2008 we enter the second half of the term

envisioned for the attainment of the Millennium

Development Goals. The results accomplished thus far

are not to be underestimated, but they are still far from

satisfactory. Furthermore, even the Goals that have

already been achieved are now jeopardized by the new

challenges and problems we are facing: the surge in oil

and food prices and the adverse effects of climate

change.

During this year, a slowdown in economic

development has been noted in many countries; that is

confirmed by numerous indicators forecasting regional

and global recession. It is therefore of the utmost

importance to devise new stimuli for the

implementation of the Millennium Development Goals.

Our debate should thus focus on issues such as

development and the implementation of effective

concepts for sustainable development, as a crucial part

of any agenda for the maintenance of long-term peace,

stability and security in the world.

Speaking of issues related to the sustainability of

peace and security, we have unfortunately to note that

here there are not many reasons for satisfaction. We are

still facing numerous crisis situations and old and

frozen conflicts, as well as a series of recent turbulent

incidents and tensions in several regions of the world.

Terrorist acts continue to occur with worrisome

frequency, yet Member States remain unable to reach

consensus on a truly necessary global counter-terrorism

convention. Such recalcitrance has rightly led some

people to question the relevance of the United Nations

in the present context, as well as the true meaning and

scope of multilateralism and the selective

implementation of international law and principles.

This year we commemorate the sixtieth

anniversary of the adoption of the Universal

Declaration of Human Rights, and it is only proper to

ask ourselves whether universal respect for its

provisions is possible. Human rights problems will

certainly not decrease if there continue to be different

interpretations of the provisions of the Declaration or if

those provisions are only partially implemented.

Acceptance of the entire body of human rights is the

basis of the rule of law and fundamental to resolving

bilateral and international conflicts. Only if those

provisions are universally accepted and sincerely

supported by all of us will humanity be able to proceed

on the path towards progress.

Solutions to problems should be sought within

the framework of respect for agreed norms and through

equitable dialogue and cooperation. In that context, the

United Nations has a specific and valuable role that

should not be neglected. It is therefore especially

important to develop the Organization further so that it

may become more efficient and more relevant in a

broader sense, as well as more responsible for the

people on whose behalf it acts. I am deeply convinced

that our differences are among the greatest values that

we possess and that each Member State, regardless of

its size, has a valuable contribution to make. It is

therefore necessary to overcome our existing

differences for the sake of a more efficient United

Nations that will serve the world in the twenty-first

century in the best possible way.

Over the past few years, South-East Europe and

the Balkans have begun moving in the right direction.

Although it is certain that not all open problems and

issues have been resolved, the tendency of the region

towards closer integration with international bodies is

clearly discernable. The activities of my country, the

Republic of Macedonia, are directed towards

continuing participation in and support for regional

projects and the consistent promotion of comprehensive

regional cooperation with all neighbouring countries. We

do not doubt that only together with the rest of the

Balkan countries will we be able to contribute to the

accelerated integration of the entire region into the

European and Euro-Atlantic structures.

At the domestic level, the Republic of Macedonia

is continuously working towards the sustainability of

its specific model of functional multi-ethnic

democracy. We believe that our model has broad and

positive regional implications because it has shown

that it is possible for different nations and cultures to

share the same territory and coexist productively.

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Two strategic goals that have enjoyed our highest

priority for years are integration into the European

Union and NATO. In recent years, we have invested

significant resources and focused all our efforts on the

accomplishment of those goals. Unfortunately, at the

NATO summit held in April 2008 in Romania, an

international precedent was set when the narrow

national interests of one country were presented as

being more important than the established principles of

international law.

Despite the obvious absurdity of the issue, my

country is participating actively and constructively in

the negotiating process with the Republic of Greece,

mediated by the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-

General, Ambassador Matthew Nimetz. At the same

time, we have consistently respected our legal

obligations and affirmed our constructive role by

making numerous suggestions and concessions during

the long-standing process.

I recall that, at the time of Macedonia’s

admittance to the United Nations in 1993, the first

major legal precedent was set. A decision was adopted

on that occasion to the effect that, instead of using the

name which my country had chosen, other Members

would address us as “the former Yugoslav Republic of

Macedonia”.

Unfortunately, I am forced to conclude that in

that time the other party has not demonstrated the same

level of dedication to its agreed obligations, as

confirmed by its flagrant breach of the Interim Accord

signed by both countries in 1995. According to that

document, the Hellenic Republic is legally bound not

to object to Macedonia’s application for membership to

international, multilateral and regional institutions and

organizations in which the Hellenic Republic is already

a full member. Contrary to the agreed obligations, at

the NATO summit held in April 2008 in Bucharest,

Greece objected to the invitation to admittance to

NATO extended to the Republic of Macedonia and

insisted that, prior to integration, a mutually acceptable

solution to the dispute must be reached. The very logic

of the negotiations was seriously undermined by that

act, while at the same time the principles of the United

Nations Charter were derogated. Taking advantage of

its status as a standing member, the Hellenic Republic

has begun obstructing our integration into the

European Union, using similar arguments.

Let me take this opportunity to highlight once

again before the Assembly our position, which has

been openly expressed on numerous occasions. As a

responsible country fully aware of its internationally

agreed obligations, the Republic of Macedonia is ready

to accept a fair compromise and a reasonable solution

that will not deny our national and cultural identity. It

is understandable that we are not ready to consent to

just any kind of solution in a case of such national

importance. If our integration into international

institutions is to help stabilize our State, then we

should not allow ourselves to be humiliated and

internally destabilized by an unsatisfactory compromise.

To conclude, allow me to reiterate the well-known

fundamental position in which we, as a State, believe

and intend to firmly uphold in the years to come. The

principles and values enshrined in the Charter of the

United Nations are the highest goals around which we

should all unite. Respect for those principles and for

the full equality of States and peoples is the sole

guarantee for the noble mission of creating a more

dignified and just world.