North Macedonia, 2012

It is an honour and a

privilege to address this forum today and to share the

views of the Republic of Macedonia regarding a number

of issues of concern for all of us.

Allow me first to extend our congratulations to

Mr. Vuk Jeremić on his election to the prestigious

position of President of the General Assembly at

its sixty-seventh session. I believe Mr. Jeremić will

respond to all the challenges and tasks that await him,

and I wish to express our full readiness to cooperate.

Allow me also to express my thanks and to compliment

the former President of the Assembly, Mr. Nassir

Abdulaziz Al-Nasser, for his successful presidency

during the sixth-sixth session.

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome

the work and efforts of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban

Ki-moon, which undoubtedly have contributed to

strengthening the role and reputation of the world

Organization. It was a real honour for me and for the

citizens of Macedonian to be his host. The Republic of

Macedonia highly values and supports the Secretary-

General’s endeavours, and he can count on our

continued full support.

Now, more than ever in the history of humankind,

the nations of the world are confronted with the same

challenges, are victims of the same threats and share the

yearning for a better future. Effective multilateralism

is of essential importance for the development of

collective action to respond to common challenges. The

United Nations is an organization whose legitimacy

to tackle global challenges through global actions is

universally accepted and undeniable. The support

provided by Member States is of crucial importance.

I wish to assure the Assembly that the Republic of

Macedonia will continue to contribute actively to the

reinforcement and improvement of the efficiency of the

system.

This diverse world is in need of a common

denominator, a link that unites all individuals, peoples

and countries regardless of differences in culture,

language and religion. That link is the Charter of the

United Nations, with its principles and fundamental values. The Republic of Macedonia is firmly dedicated

to respect for the Charter, which serves as the basis

of its foreign policy. Ever since our declaration of

independence and after becoming a Member of the

United Nations, the peaceful resolution of international

disputes has been one of our leading principles and

guidelines for our behaviour as a responsible member

of the international community. Therefore, I wish to

welcome the General Assembly recommendation to put

the issue forward as a topic of debate this year.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

When speaking about international disputes, it is

inevitable to refer to prevention activities as one of the

mechanisms for their resolution.

Today preventive diplomacy has proven its relevance

once again. In the early days of our independence,

the Republic of Macedonia was host to the United

Nations Preventive Deployment Force, a one-of-a-kind

mechanism for the United Nations at the time. It was a

positive experience for Macedonia, the United Nations

and the Member States involved. We are witness to the

fact that the evolution of international relations and the

increased complexity of challenges in our globalized

world confirm the need to develop mechanisms and to

use good offices.

At this point, I would like to commend the

Secretary-General for advocating more thorough

analysis of this issue in his report on strengthening the

role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes,

conflict prevention and resolution (A/66/811), which

produced good, operative solutions for upgrading the

capacity of the United Nations in this area. I believe

we can and must explore new ways and possibilities for

strengthening the role of the Secretary-General in the

resolution of international disputes.

In a time of global economic crisis, the focus of

the United Nations on preventing conflicts and further

developing preventive diplomacy is understandable. The

Republic of Macedonia believes it makes sense to focus

on the effective and efficient use of resources — which

are shrinking — which is why we have been attentively

following all activities relating to the report of the

Secretary-General on civilian capacity in the aftermath

of conflict (A/66/311) and to the implementation of

the recommendations of the Senior Advisory Group

found therein. It is very important that the international

community make progress in preventing new conflicts

and relapses into conflict in vulnerable countries. The Republic of Macedonia stands ready to offer its

experience in the area of democratic institution-building,

based on the Macedonian inclusive, democratic model

of integration without assimilation. In that context, I

wish to refer to the recent High-level Meeting on the

Rule of Law at the National and International Levels.

The Republic of Macedonia attaches great importance

to this issue, which is undoubtedly the basis of all

democratic societies, and the report of the Secretary-

General on the rule of law (A/66/749) has provided

food for thought and further action. The Republic of

Macedonia believes that inclusiveness is an important

principle that needs to be implemented when it comes

to the rule of law. The rule of law is multifaceted and

should cover all stakeholders, especially civil society.

The rule of law is incomplete and is impossible

to achieve without respect for human rights. As the

Secretary-General said in his statement at the opening

of the general debate at this session, “We shall have

neither peace nor development without respect for

human rights and the rule of law” (see A/67/PV.6). As

a country building a model of inclusive democracy, the

Republic of Macedonia attaches particular importance

to the development, promotion and protection of

human rights. It is the right and duty of every country

to safeguard and promote the rights of its citizens.

Human rights should reinforce and reaffirm national

sovereignty. This, then, will be the best guarantee that,

as a principle, the responsibility to protect will remain

the desired first and primary pillar. The Republic of

Macedonia will continue its efforts to preserve and

promote human rights — to promote democracy and

the rule of law, gender equality and the improvement

of the role of women, and to protect vulnerable and

marginalized groups.

We also strongly support Member States’ active

participation in the universal periodic review as a

mechanism for promoting the effectiveness of the

Human Rights Council. In that context, I would like to

remind the Assembly that the Republic of Macedonia

has presented its candidature for membership in the

Human Rights Council for the period 2014-2016. We

are convinced that our experience in this area, along

with our particular achievements and ambition to

promote this area of global governance, will enable us

to make a full contribution to further strengthening and

affirming human rights in subsequent years.

Once again this year all priorities are focused on the

three most important pillars of our world Organization: peace and security, sustainable development and

human rights. All are mutually related. There can

be no sustainable development without peace and

security, and there can be no sustainable peace without

development and poverty reduction. The Millennium

Development Goals continue to be the parameters by

which we evaluate our success.

The Republic of Macedonia’s aspiration to

become a member of the European Union has created

the necessary spur for political, economic and social

reforms. Promoting equitable and comprehensive

development founded on human rights has provided a

solid base for the national development agenda. The

Government of the Republic of Macedonia therefore

established a programme focused on emphasizing

economic development, improving our citizens’

standard of living, creating jobs, fighting corruption,

increasing education opportunities and promoting

democracy and inter-ethnic relations.

Balanced and sustainable development is a major

investment in the future, and in the interest of the

general well-being, everyone must participate. The

outcome document of Rio+20 — the United Nations

Conference on Sustainable Development (resolution

66/288, annex) — should be taken as an additional

impetus to use alternative possibilities for achieving

sustainable development. The Republic of Macedonia,

in coordination with the policies of its European

partners, will advocate expanding those alternatives.

Sustainable development is closely linked to

disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate

change. Recognizing that interdependence, the

Republic of Macedonia supports a holistic approach to

the implementation of these goals in national, regional

and global strategies, policies and plans.

We have demonstrated our dedication to the region

of South-eastern Europe and to regional cooperation

through our chairmanship of the South-East European

Cooperation Process. The region is not immune to

global challenges and threats, and such threats can be

removed only by meeting the obligations and numerous

commitments we have all undertaken. I am convinced

that intensive regional cooperation in this area will help

us build a region more resistant to natural disasters. We

wish focus our chairmanship on the process of meeting

the real and everyday needs of our citizens — those of

peace, security and development — that are the result

of global challenges that recognize neither political and ethnic barriers nor religious groups. Among

the priorities of Macedonia’s chairmanship will be

cooperation in economic and agricultural matters,

culture and tourism, science and education, cross-

border concerns and the protection of the environment.

Our principles are based on solving citizens’ problems

regardless of ethnic, religious or any other affiliation.

I see no way of doing this other than through close

regional cooperation.

Let us build good-neighbourly relations on the

basis of solidarity. In return, we expect our neighbours

to show solidarity in actions for a safer region. We

can and we must be ready for future challenges so as

to provide a safer future for future generations. Our

young people will hold us to this. They expect our

generation to behave responsibly. They live in a time of

new technologies, and they already know what is going

on at the global level. I believe firmly that we should

focus all our energy on young people, to create youth

for the future and a future for our youth, formed in a

spirit of dialogue, tolerance and respect for diversity.

That is why, in parallel with the South-East European

Cooperation Process summit, we will also host the

eleventh Forum of the Dialogue among Civilizations, in

cooperation with UNESCO and the Council of Europe,

with the focus on youth.

As President of the Republic of Macedonia, permit

me to say that we are greatly looking forward to

celebrating the tenth anniversary of the first regional

gathering of the dialogue among civilizations, which

we are preparing together with UNESCO. It was here,

at this rostrum, that my predecessor, President Boris

Trajkovski, with the strong backing of the United

Nations and UNESCO, shared his dreams about that

initiative, which was then realized in Ohrid in 2003,

when the wounds from the bloody conflict in the

former Yugoslavia were still fresh. The words of the

Ohrid message speak of the undoubtedly enormous

potential of the Republic of Macedonia: to be a

functional multi-ethnic, multilingual and multireligious

foundation of the European Balkans and of the Balkans

in Europe.

Next year we will host the third World Conference

on Dialogue among Religions and Civilizations.

The Republic of Macedonia has always believed that

dialogue is irreplaceable and put its belief into practice.

We condemn all forms of violence. No one should be a

victim of violence — not individuals, peoples, States

or their official representatives. Just as the limits of decency must be observed in public spaces, so violence

can never be a fitting response.

The rule of law and human rights are fundamental

principles and they cannot be subject to compromise. I

fully agree with the position of the Secretary-General,

stated during his visit to Macedonia in July, that we

should never make compromises when it comes to

universally acknowledged principles. It is the duty

of the United Nations and of each and every one of

us not to subject the rule of law and human rights to

compromise. Therefore, I have asked the Secretary-

General to bring renewed attention to the 2008 report

of the Independent Expert on minority issues, Ms. Gay

McDougall, entitled “Promotion and protection of all

human rights, civil, political, economic, social and

cultural rights, including the right to development”

(A/HRC/7/23).

Allow me as well to recall the recommendation

in that report that the Government of our southern

neighbour should abstain from disputing whether there

is a Macedonian minority, and instead focus on the

protection of the right to self-identification, freedom

of expression and freedom of association of that

community. In the recommendation, our neighbour is

urged to respect the judgment of the European Court of

Human Rights, according to which the country should

be allowed to use the word Macedonian to denote its

name and to freely express its ethnic identity. The

report concludes that the right to protection must be

respected, as elaborated in the 1992 Declaration on

Minorities and in the basic international conventions

on human rights.

I expressed my expectation that the Secretary-

General would make use of his authority and engage in

order to overcome the impasse on the talks regarding

our country’s name that are taking place under his

auspices. Respect for the judgment of the International

Court of Justice will mean respect for international law

and the rule of law in practice. I believe in this process.

I believe that this process can lead to a solution, but we

cannot wait another 19 years for that to happen.

Today, in the twenty-first century, it seems quite

absurd to be called “a former nation” or “a former

colony”. In the name of the dignity of my people, I

hereby take this opportunity to publicly thank all 134

Members of the United Nations that have recognized

the constitutional name of my country, which is the

Republic of Macedonia. And here is my appeal to

everyone here: address us from the point of view of the

future.

I fully subscribe to what was said by the United

States President, Mr. Barack Obama, just a few days

ago, in this very Hall. We believe that freedom and self-

determination are not unique to one culture. Those are

not simply American values or Western values, they are

universal values.

It has happened in the history of the United

Nations that a country was given additional criteria

to become a Member, but the 1948 advisory opinion

of the International Court of Justice stated clearly that

this was not correct and was contrary to the Charter

of the United Nations. Except in our case, no one has

been deprived of the right of self-identification thus

far. Macedonia should get what it rightfully deserves;

something that all Member States represented here

already have and enjoy. Without the right of self-

identification, Macedonia is prevented from being

equal to all other Member States.

In that regard we are discussing international

law. We are talking about the rule of law. Here is the

judgment of the International Court of Justice adopted

10 months ago in favour of the Republic of Macedonia.

We are asking for this judgment, adopted by a body

of the United Nations, to be respected. We ask for

this because we have been prevented from using our

constitutional name even at this very rostrum. The

International Court of Justice, in paragraph 95 of the

judgment, states clearly that Macedonia has the right

to refer to itself as the Republic of Macedonia in its

relations with the other party and within international

organizations.

In a spirit of good-neighbourly relations, and because

of our strong determination to overcome and settle

unresolved issues, I take this opportunity to appeal to

our neighbour to work together with us in that direction.

From this rostrum in the heart of the United Nations, I

urge them to respect the judgment of the International

Court of Justice and their own internationally assumed

obligations. We are neighbours, but we wish to be more

than just neighbours. We wish to be partners, allies and

friends, and to be able to build together the present and

future of our people, our countries and our region. We

wish to work together with them and build a safe and

free world for our children.

The protracted nature of the reform of the Security

Council and the revitalization of the General Assembly, as well as the comprehensive process of reinforcing

the coherence and efficiency of the system, should not

discourage us. On the contrary, they should serve as an

impetus for further mobilization.

Only the United Nations can provide integrated

solutions for interdependent issues such as development,

peace and security, human rights and humanitarian

action.

In conclusion, I invite all Member States to recall

the words of Jean Monnet, the father of modern

Europe. He described the use of the veto in modern

European history as the expression of lack of power for

dialogue and the impossibility of overcoming national

egoism. Let us build a prosperous world for our future

generations.

We hope that our neighbour will make its way

out of crisis as soon as possible. We have proposed a

series of practical measures on how to upgrade our

economic and good neighbourly cooperation, which

should include a bilateral agreement on the avoidance

of double taxation. Macedonian taxes are favourable for

our neighbour’s businessmen and, as always, the doors

of the Republic of Macedonia are wide open to them.

The Republic of Macedonia firmly believes that the

United Nations remains the centre of multilateralism

and global governance. The Organization inspires

universal dialogue, which in most cases results in joint

solutions for handling global problems in order to reach

a shared vision of the future of the international system.