Romania, 2014

It is a great honour for

me to address the General Assembly today on behalf

of the Romanian delegation. At the outset, allow me

to congratulate the Honourable Sam Kutesa on his

election as President of the General Assembly at its

sixty-ninth session and to assure him of the full support

of the Romanian delegation in fulfilling his high

responsibility and functions.

(spoke in French)

As this is the first time I have had the honour to

participate in this high-level debate, let me reaffirm

my country’s peaceful mission as a promoter of peace

and international security, the values of democracy,

the rule of law and respect for human rights. The

report of the Secretary-General on the work of the

Organization (A/69/1) over the past year again confirms

that cooperation among Member States, based on

the principles of the United Nations and in a spirit

of solidarity, can meet the current challenges of our

peoples.

I would like to address some issues of interest to

my country in regard to developments in international

relations. Since the General Assembly’s general debate

a year ago, the area of international security has

witnessed the most complex and serious developments

since the end of the cold war. In that context, we have

a duty to reaffirm our commitment to the principles of

the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries,

the non-use of force and the peaceful resolution of

all problems between States, in accordance with

international law.

(spoke in English)

One of the crises of utmost concern to my country

is the current situation in Ukraine, given its impact

on the security of the countries in Eastern Europe.

The crisis started, as the Assembly knows, with the

unilateral annexation of Crimea, an integral part of

the sovereign State of Ukraine. That action on the

European continent, unprecedented in recent decades,

was followed by an internal conflict in the eastern

regions of Ukraine, generated by forces pursuing

separatist goals. I wish to reconfirm our clear and firm

national position on the crisis in Ukraine. Romania

rejects any form of external pressure on States in

Eastern Europe with aspirations to achieve integration

with Europe. Romania firmly supports the territorial

integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine and all countries.

A strong, united and sovereign Ukraine, committed to

its European path and to reforms in the economic and

political fields, is in the best interests of Europe and the

whole world.

The international community has been involved in

finding a solution to the crisis from its beginning. We

commend the United Nations for its constant presence in

the field and the efforts of the Organization for Security

and Cooperation in Europe to monitor the day-by-day

developments on the ground and to support the whole

international effort through its specific mechanisms.

For many years, all countries of Eastern Europe

and the Black Sea region have shared and openly

declared the common goals of peace and cooperation.

But instability and grave security concerns, such as in

Ukraine, in Transdnistria, Ossetia and Abkhazia, and

now in Donetsk, continue to pose obstacles to those

goals. We must condemn aggression. We should not

lose trust in the rule of international law. We should

not lose faith in the benefits of cooperation, and we

should all strive to prevent a spillover of the current

crisis. The region has always been a bridge between

Central Asia and Europe. At this juncture, we have

a historical responsibility to assume, protect and

preserve the potential for collaboration, cooperation

and development in that part of Europe.

Situated at the crossroads of the Danube and Black

Sea regions, as well as serving as a bridge between

Northern Europe and the Balkans, Romania is fully

aware that regional cooperation is key for ensuring

regional stability, for building confidence and for

promoting the universal principles and values of the

Charter of the United Nations. Joint initiatives on the

economy, environment, infrastructure and cross-border

cooperation have a long-term impact on all countries in

our region. As a European Union member, Romania is

an active contributor to the European Union Strategy

for the Danube Region, to the Black Sea Synergy and to

the South-East European Cooperation Process.

We praise the solidarity expressed by the European

Union and transatlantic partners in supporting a

sustainable path for democracy and development in the

Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia, assisting

them to freely achieve their European aspirations.

It was 75 years ago, based on the infamous Molotov-

Ribbentrop Pact, that parts of Romania and some other

independent States were dismantled. We have learned

that history must not be an excuse for justifying actions

against other countries. On the contrary, our answer to

any temptation based on past history is strong support

for democratic development, respect for the right to

democratically choose one’s future, and respect for

international law.

I want to state that position clearly, on behalf of

my country, as an expression of our democratic identity

and responsible conduct in our relations with all our

neighbours, and when speaking about the democratic

future of all the countries in those regions, including

the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and Georgia. The

desire to turn the extended Black Sea region into an

area of peace, stability and prosperity should continue

to guide our cooperation. We express our support, one

again, for a democratic, secure and stable region, and

we encourage our regional and international partners

to broaden our solidarity with Ukraine, Moldova and

Georgia.

A source of concern to all of us is the multiplication

of political, security and strategic challenges in the

southern neighbourhood of the European Union and in

the Middle East. The proliferation of radical Islamist

movements and the emergence of new groups, such as

the Islamic State in Iraq and the Sham (ISIS), have led

to an enhanced terrorist threat. They represent a new

breed of terrorism, which threatens to destabilize the

entire Middle East and the world. ISIS goes beyond Iraq

and Syria, and therefore represents a major challenge to

the international order and must be dealt with by all

States. We must all stand united and fight terrorism

wherever it arises. I want to express my country’s firm

support for building solidarity in confronting this new

challenge.

In the field of development, we believe that the

current session of the General Assembly is crucial

for the preparation of the post-2015 sustainable

development agenda, which will guide our actions in

coming decades. As a member of the Open Working

Group on Sustainable Development Goals, Romania

made its contribution to that very important process, in

accordance with the decisions taken at United Nations

Conference on Sustainable Development. Our national

vision of the future goals was adopted by the Government

of Romania in December 2013, and we are pleased to

see that our areas of interest are reflected in the report

of the Open Working Group (see A/67/941). The future

development agenda should address poverty eradication

and sustainable development, good governance and the

rule of law. However, it should also provide a platform

for social inclusion and the reduction of unemployment,

giving our present and future generations of young

people confidence and hope.

Over the past year, the number of people in need

of humanitarian assistance, especially the number of

refugees and internally displaced persons, has grown

to unprecedented levels. We commend and support

the assistance provided to those persons by the United

Nations system in close cooperation with international

organizations, non-governmental organizations and

international donors. Despite our limited financial

resources, we have made efforts to contribute to the

process of assisting refugees.

In that respect, I would like to mention the activities

of the emergency transit centre in Timisoara, Romania,

established by the Romanian Government, the Office

of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

and the International Organization for Migration. The

centre, the first of its kind in the world, has proved to be a

feasible mechanism offering safety to persons in urgent

need of international protection, thereby becoming a

practical expression of the human security concept.

That contribution reflects the responsible conduct that

Romania has always adopted in facing global challenges.

We will continue to contribute to international efforts

with the same dedication and responsibility as our

troops and civil experts have already shown in several

areas, such as Iraq, Afghanistan and Kosovo, or places

in Africa.

(spoke in French)

The year 2014 has particular resonance for Romania

and brings us closer to our national centennial,

which we will celebrate in 2018. In 1989, Romanians

chose democracy and respect for human rights and

fundamental freedoms. We encountered difficulties,

but our resolve led us to a successful transition.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate our firm

and continuing commitment to the Organization and

the Charter of the United Nations and their governing

values and principles. Romania will continue to uphold

international law and the principle of the peaceful

resolution of conflicts, while promoting human rights

in order to achieve prosperity for all.