Serbia, 2013

It is my great honour

to address the General Assembly on behalf of the

Republic of Serbia and inform members about the

positions held by my country on some important global

issues, developments in and around Serbia and the

efforts that Belgrade has made with a view to reaching

a just solution to problems facing the country and its

neighbourhood.

First of all, I would like to thank the President of

the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session for his

excellent stewardship and organization of this debate

and the leadership he has demonstrated in his high-level

post. I wish him every success in the performance of his

duties as President of the General Assembly. I assure

him that he will enjoy the support of the Republic of

Serbia in the discharge of his mandate. He can count on

our assistance in bringing his ideas to fruition.

At the same time, I would like to congratulate His

Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremic, former President of the

General Assembly, on his courage and impeccable

work in presiding over the Assembly for the past year

and on the understanding he has demonstrated of the

problems encountered all over the world. He represented

Serbia in a dignified manner while being an impartial

professional of high standing.

The Republic of Serbia attaches great importance

to the United Nations and the activities and cooperation

carried out within its framework. We remain true to

the Charter of the United Nations and the purposes and

principles enshrined therein. We will endeavour, to the

extent of our ability, to make a contribution to their

implementation.

We are also determined to participate in the new

initiatives being taken within the United Nations. I

welcome the well-chosen theme for this year’s session.

The post-2015 development agenda and the preparations

to be made in order to define a future global development

framework are important issues, and the General

Assembly is the right forum in which to hold these

discussions and, more important, come to agreement

on them. I am confident that the current Assembly

session will be successful in the consideration of the

agenda items highlighted by its President, namely, the

contribution of women, youth and civil society to the

post-2015 development agenda and human rights and

the rule of law in that agenda.

The deadline for the implementation of the

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), to which

the Republic of Serbia fully subscribes, is fast

approaching, and the United Nations and today’s world

are at a crossroads. The process that has been initiated

is an ambitious and complicated one. Even the outcome

document of the 2012 United Nations Conference on

Sustainable Development (resolution 66/288, annex),

entitled “The future we want”, makes it incumbent

upon us to take action.

I hope that the work of the Open Working Group on

Sustainable Development Goals will be a success. The

Republic of Serbia appreciates the opportunity given

to it, as a member of the Group, to help in the drafting

process aimed at establishing sustainable development

goals. For our part, we will do our utmost to contribute

to defining sustainable development goals in clear

terms. We believe that the sustainable development

goals should be global in nature but, at the same time,

have the capacity to be implemented in all countries,

as countries differ so much in their capacity, level of

development, priorities and policies.

It goes without saying that, in identifying the

sustainable development goals, priority should be

accorded to energy efficiency, renewable resources

and climate change. Key development goals should

deal with sustainable economic development because,

without it, it will be impossible to achieve social

development, reduce hunger, poverty, unemployment

and inequality, prevent further wage level disparities or

protect the environment.

I expect that attention will also be focused on

implementing a global mechanism to prevent economic

shocks from developed countries from spilling over to

developing countries and destabilizing international

financial markets. As part of the process, voices

from both “have” and “have-not” countries should be

equally valued. Developing countries should highlight

the problems, and developed countries should act as

partners in resolving them.

As a new member of the Economic and Social

Council for the period 2014 to 2016, the Republic

of Serbia will participate in all Council activities

related to the MDGs and setting the stage of the post-

2015 development agenda. However, there can be no

development — sustainable, unsustainable, economic

or social — in war-torn areas.

Even today, at the outset of the twenty-first century,

it is unfortunate that many war zones exist throughout

the world. My country has participated in United

Nations-led peacekeeping operations for decades. In

many continents, memories of Serbia’s contributions to

peace efforts remain very much alive.

We will continue to apply lessons learned to find

solutions to specific problems in the field and to improve

our peacekeepers’ response capacities in terms of the

challenges they will face in carrying out their mandates

and with a view to achieving maximum performance.

Serbian service and police personnel are engaged

in multinational operations in the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire,

Cyprus, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti,

Lebanon, Liberia, Uganda, the Middle East and Somali

waters and soon in Mali as well. They all serve as

proper representatives of their country through actions

in favour of peace.

We are prepared to increase, in the coming period,

the size of our contribution and equipment in terms of

national contingents and to make use of the available

United Nations standby arrangements. In line with our

policies based on Security Council resolutions, we will

also promote the participation of our servicewomen in

peace missions.

Serbia’s engagement in United Nations missions

and other multinational operations represents our firm

contribution to the maintenance of international peace

and security. The Republic of Serbia has no ulterior

motive behind sending its troops to other countries,

other than to provide assistance. For that reason, we

would like to see the personnel of the Serbian armed

forces and the Ministry of the Interior welcomed and

accepted both by the Governments of the friendly

countries to which they are deployed and the local

populations and that they would be seen as supportive

partners, rather than as foreign troops and occupying

forces.

When seconding its personnel to multinational

operations, Serbia has no interest — military, political

or economic — but to help a friend in need and show

the other contingents contributing to the operation that

our troops may be counted upon to help.

Apart from wars, there is another omnipresent

global danger looming large over the core values of the

United Nations. That danger is terrorism, which poses

a threat to fundamental human rights and creates an

obstacle to business, thus undermining development as

well.

As a State party to most international counter-

terrorism conventions, the Republic of Serbia attaches

great significance to international activities aimed at

suppressing terrorism. And we are adapting our domestic

legislation to stem the scourge. We unequivocally

support the United Nations Global Counter-Terrorism

Strategy and all of the relevant resolutions adopted by

the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Serbia, as a victim of terrorist attacks that have

even taken the lives of children — the most innocent

segment of its population — understands well the

need for regional and broader counter-terrorism

cooperation. Because terrorism knows no boundaries,

States Members of the United Nations must be ready to

cooperate without compromise, prejudice, or limitations

and without any exceptions or special cases allowing

terrorist actions against one’s own people under the

pretext of so-called “freedom fighting”.

In that context, it is of the utmost importance to

make progress on the adoption of a comprehensive

convention on international terrorism. Serbia strongly

condemns terrorism in any shape or form, without

regard to who the perpetrators may be, wherever such

acts may be committed or for whatever purpose.

On the other hand, no one has the right, Serbia

included, to limit itself to statements made in

condemnation. Victims of terrorist acts worldwide,

those injured in attacks or the families of victims have

the right to demand that persons responsible for such acts

be brought to justice and that any further recruitment of

terrorists or financing of their organizations end.

The Republic of Serbia attaches great importance

to the promotion and protection of human rights and

is striving to fully comply with the internationally

recognized standards in that area. Serbia has taken a

step forward regarding the enjoyment of human rights

by minority groups, particularly national minorities,

women and children and persons with special needs.

Serbia’s law on the protection of the rights and

freedoms of national minorities surpasses international

conventions in many aspects. The Constitution of

the Republic of Serbia unambiguously prohibits the

assimilation of national minorities and the undertaking

of measures designed to artificially alter the ethnic

structure of populations in areas where national

minorities traditionally reside in large numbers.

The Republic of Serbia is a multi-ethnic,

multireligious and multicultural country. Dozens of

ethnic groups and several religious communities live

there peacefully, and its tradition of living side by

side based on tolerance and respect of others has been

long, genuine and deep-rooted. Drawing upon our own

experience, we have wholeheartedly embraced the

Alliance of Civilizations initiative. We have actively

promoted intercultural and interfaith dialogue in

all domains and at all levels, as that is the best way

to overcome divisions caused by cultural, linguistic,

religious or any other diversity.

Generally, in the period under review, Serbia has

achieved considerable progress in the protection of

human rights, as noted in the presentation of the second

universal periodic review, in Geneva in January, and

during the visit to Belgrade by Ms. Navanethem Pillay,

United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.

We are ready to share our expertise and experience

in the human rights field with our friends around

the world. The Republic of Serbia considers such

cooperation a friendly exchange, not interference in the

internal affairs of other countries or as one-sided and

irresponsible preaching and tutelage accompanied by

conditions or blackmail.

The Republic of Serbia is a party to nearly all

international instruments and initiatives in the field

of disarmament, non-proliferation and arms control. It

fully complies with the obligations it has undertaken.

Serbia’s commitment to the Arms Trade Treaty, which

we recently signed, is based on the belief that the

establishment of legally binding international standards

in that field is a significant contribution to eliminating

the illegal arms trade, fighting international terrorism

and organized crime and promoting peace, security and

stability — in other words, the alleviation of human

suffering.

In accordance with its agreed commitments, my

country has counted and inventoried all weapons in

its possession and has made the information available.

It has also allowed the inspection of its arsenals. Our

partners know where each piece of Serbian weaponry

is located. Nothing is kept secret. We have done so

not only because we were bound to do so, but to show

and prove that Serbia is truly committed to peace and

cooperation with its neighbours.

Contributions to peace can also be made through

disarmament. Never in its history has Serbia fought

a war of aggression, and the weapons now in its

possession are only meant for its defence. Furthermore,

Serbia has never posed a threat to any country. It has

never possessed weapons of mass destruction and has

no intention of including weapons of mass destruction

in its visible, quantifiable and verifiable arsenal.

We are aware that progress on disarmament and

arms control hinges not only on us. Success is related

to developments carried out on a wider political and

strategic stage.

In the little more than one year since I took

office, I have visited almost all of the countries with

borders in common with Serbia. I have spoken with the

leaders of all of the neighbouring countries, including

at international events. In that manner, I wanted to

convey the message that Serbia has opted for regional

cooperation and working together with its neighbours

to address the problems we share in common.

On behalf of Serbia, I have made symbolic gestures

to effectively demonstrate that we wish to reconcile with

the peoples living side by side with us. I am confident

that those gestures will significantly contribute to

reconciliation and help to right the wrongs of the past.

We are now looking forward to the future. It is our

desire to foster good relations with all neighbouring

countries by building a network of roads, railway lines

and bridges; to try to make our mark on the international

market; to promote our energy systems; to protect the

environment; to cooperate in disaster relief; to develop

cross-border projects; to have trade links and; to expand

our cultural, scientific, educational, technological and

sports cooperation. Our common goal is to improve the

living standards of everyone living in the countries of

the region.

In comparison with our neighbours, we can

compete only in terms of seeking to attain more human

rights protection, whereas in all other respects, we will

cooperate and help encourage one another to perform

better. Serbia’s message to its European partners is

that the time for conflicts, distrust and disputes is now

behind us. Our country is looking forward to the future

and to becoming a member of the European Union. It

has been decided, and we trust that Serbia will start

negotiations with the European Union no later than

January 2014. I hope that Serbia will be able to inform

the next General Assembly session about the outcome

of those talks, which we believe will not last long or

continue indefinitely, as well as about Serbia’s ongoing

progress towards becoming a fully fledged member

of the European Union. At the same time, Serbia has

revived old alliances and forged new ones throughout

the world, creating strategic partnerships with countries

in the East, West, North and South.

Serbia has been active in all regional initiatives and

organizations, and has recently chaired some of them,

making a remarkable impression on other members. As

a result, the Organization for Security and Cooperation

in Europe (OSCE) has entrusted Serbia with its

chairmanship for 2015. The OSCE chairmanship, to

be held by Switzerland in 2014 and then by Serbia in

2015, serves as a good example of how to cooperate

within international organizations. It will give Serbia

an opportunity to make a constructive contribution to

the enhancement of the OSCE, especially since 2015

will mark the fortieth anniversary of the Helsinki Final

Act, one of the most important OSCE instruments. We

are confident that our activities on regional initiatives

and our forthcoming chairmanship of the OSCE will

make Serbia an ideal candidate for taking on greater

responsibility within the United Nations system,

consequently making it possible for it to be entrusted

with even more responsibilities and duties, when the

time comes.

The unilaterally declared independence of Kosovo,

in 2008, has been creating problems and undermining

a system established by the United Nations at its start.

The United Nations has never recognized an illegal

secession attempt by Kosovo’s provisional institutions

of self-governance, but a number of countries,

irrespective of the norms of international law, have

recognized Kosovo as an independent State. Under

constant pressure and through blackmail on the part

of large and powerful States, some other countries,

including Serbia’s traditional allies, have unfortunately

recognized Kosovo as an independent State.

Serbia has responded to such acts in a measured,

diplomatic and political manner, refraining from

any use of force, to safeguard its sovereignty and its

territorial integrity. Faced with a situation where its

vital national interests were at stake, a country would

rarely demonstrate such a degree of level-headedness.

We are convinced that such problems, including

the status of Kosovo and Metohija, should be resolved

peacefully. For that reason, we take heed of calls by

the General Assembly in 2010 to start negotiations with

representatives of the authorities in Pristina. Following

the efforts of Lady Catherine Ashton, European Union

High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security

Policy, we have made arrangements with the Albanians

of Kosovo and Metohija. Serbia has thus shown that its

intention was to protect the Serb community in Kosovo

and Metohija as far as possible, to ensure that all its

inhabitants in the southern Serbian province of Kosovo

could also lead normal lives on a day-to-day basis.

Let us underscore that Belgrade and Pristina have

only reached agreement over clearly defined matters,

such as local elections and the establishment of a

community of Serbian boroughs in Kosovo and Metohija,

and that the Republic of Serbia has not recognized the

independence of Kosovo in any shape or form. The first

agreement, which we promised to respect fully, does

not mean in any way that the Republic of Serbia intends

to approve Kosovo’s entry into the United Nations and

other international organizations, where membership is

the sole prerogative of sovereign States.

The United Nations has been present in Kosovo

and Metohija for more than 14 years. We believe

in the United Nations, which was entrusted with

administering this part of Serbia in 1999. Therefore,

we ask that the mandate of the United Nations Interim

Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) remain

unchanged, that its staff not be downsized and that its

activities be reinforced. UNMIK plays an indispensable

role. It should coordinate the work of all international

forces present in Kosovo and Metohija within a neutral

framework, as stated in Security Council resolution

1244 (1999). That resolution defined the tasks of

the United Nations and reaffirmed that Kosovo and

Metohija is a province forming an integral part of the

Republic of Serbia.

We also support the work of the European Union

Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX). We request

that the European Union respect its own principles as far

as the province of Kosovo and Metohija is concerned.

We expect EULEX, by maintaining a neutral approach,

to continue assisting in the development of democratic

institutions within the province and in monitoring the

human rights of Serbs and other non-Albanians, since

only their fundamental human rights are under threat.

As far as Serbia is concerned, there is yet another

pending task before the United Nations weighing on

the conscience of its Member States, one which must

not remain unaddressed, so that neither we nor future

Presidents have to seek justice by repeating that a crime

remains to be resolved. We wish to recall that special

rapporteur Dick Marty, a Swiss senator, has shown, and

the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe

has confirmed, that some Albanian leaders in Kosovo

and Metohija organized the kidnapping and killing

of Serbs whose organs were then harvested and sold

illegally. We were not in a position to initiate legal

proceedings for those crimes, which were committed

towards the beginning of the twenty-first century,

crimes that have so far not occurred anywhere else in

the world. We still believe that it is necessary for the

United Nations to be included in investigating those

crimes, based on a report by the Council of Europe.

Serbia appeals for the support of friends in its efforts to

shed light on the truth behind those and other crimes so

that the perpetrators can be brought to justice.

In April, I spoke before the Assembly in the thematic

debate on the role of the international criminal justice

system in reconciliation and about the work of the

International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons

Responsible for Serious Violations of International

Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of

the Former Yugoslavia since 1991 (ICTY). We said

then that the ICTY had abused the mandate given to

it by the Security Council; that it had not helped the

reconciliation process in the territory of the former

Yugoslavia; that it had compromised the idea behind the

international criminal justice system; that it had acted

under political pressure; that it was not independent; that

it had acted differently in similar circumstances; that it

had acquitted some war criminals, in some instances

even failing to indict them; that it had humiliated Serb

victims of the secession wars of the former Yugoslavia;

and that it had attempted to paint a revisionist picture

of history. We continue to hold the same points of view.

By accepting the integrity of the Tribunal, we

have not only earned the right to criticize its work

but also to propose a solution. Nevertheless, while

its intention was not just to criticize this institution,

Serbia suggested certain measures that might, to some

extent, help redress the wrongdoings of the Tribunal.

We request the United Nations and the ICTY to find a

legal solution that ensures that Serb convicts are sent

to serve their prison sentence in Serbia, so that justice

may be done more effectively, primarily as a way of

helping them reintegrate into society. That does not

mean that we challenge the verdicts reached or that we

are minimizing the crimes committed by those persons.

We simply want to help those concerned return to

normal life, once they come out of prison, as part of the

Serbian community.

Serbia respects every State Member of the United

Nations and offers each and every one of them its

friendship and trust. We expect that to be reciprocated

in equal measure. The Serbia of today and tomorrow

deserves to be trusted.