Tajikistan, 2012

First of all, allow me to

extend to Mr. Vuk Jeremič my sincere congratulations

on his election as President of the General Assembly

at its sixty-seventh session. I am convinced that his

extensive professional experience will contribute to the

successful work of the this session of the Assembly of

our universal Organization.

It is my great pleasure to convey my greetings to

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and to express my

country’s sincere appreciation for his tireless efforts

towards achieving the goals of the United Nations.

Once again, recent world developments have

proved that it is impossible to address global and

regional issues without strengthening the central role

of the United Nations in international affairs or without

collective initiatives in world politics that fully respect

the norms of international law. In that regard, it has

become obvious that the Organization needs rational

reform, as a result of which a renewed United Nations

will emerge that will be able to respond quickly and

appropriately to world developments and to effectively

meet the numerous global challenges and threats of the

next generation.

The efforts to strengthen United Nations

peacebuilding activities deserve further comprehensive

support. In that regard, it is my pleasure to note

that Tajikistan continues to make a considerable

contribution in that area by participating in United

Nations peacekeeping operations.

Tajikistan is convinced that respect for cultural

and religious diversity, as well as dialogue among

civilizations, is essential for global peace and

understanding. In that regard, we are deeply concerned

at the increase in many parts of the world of attempts to

denigrate religions, in particular Islam, by misusing the

freedom of expression. We strongly condemn such acts.

There is no doubt that the establishment of

comprehensive legal norms on human rights is one of the

major accomplishments of the United Nations. Human

rights, along with peace, security and development, are

the pillars of the United Nations system. As a signatory

to the major international treaties on human rights,

Tajikistan consistently implements measures aimed at

ensuring the protection and promotion of human rights

in the country.

With the intent of making a greater contribution

towards the implementation of the noble goals of the

Human Rights Council, the Government of Tajikistan

has decided to present its candidature to that important

body for the term 2015-2017. In that regard, we sincerely

hope that Member States will render their valuable

support to our candidature.

Within the context of the withdrawal of the

International Security Assistance Force from

Afghanistan, scheduled for 2014, the Afghan issue

will acquire critical importance not only for the

region but for the entire world. We believe that the

social and economic development of Afghanistan is

key to ensuring stable peace in that country. For that

reason, international assistance to Afghanistan should

aim first and foremost to fully restore its economy, to

further strengthen its social well-being and to create

employment. In that regard, the completion of projects

to build railroads, motorways, power transmission

lines and gas pipelines that connect Afghanistan with

Tajikistan and other countries of the region is of the

utmost importance.

Last March, Tajikistan hosted the fifth Regional

Economic Cooperation Conference on Afghanistan,

which submitted specific proposals and projects in

various areas that will contribute to regional cooperation and include the participation of Afghanistan. As

a close neighbour of Afghanistan, Tajikistan has

participated actively in the rehabilitation of the Afghan

economy and the country’s social infrastructure. We

are convinced that the processes of multidimensional

regional cooperation should fully involve Afghanistan.

The prevention of drug trafficking is one of the

important areas requiring cooperative efforts on the part

of the international community. It is essential that the

international community coordinate measures aimed at

reducing both the demand and the supply of drugs, and

integrate efforts undertaken at the national level into

an international strategy for drug control. Tajikistan

has designed its own anti-narcotics strategy, which

includes short- and long-term programmes of action,

cooperation and interaction on bilateral, regional and

multilateral bases, and has begun to develop a new

anti-narcotics strategy for the period 2013-2020.

The Ottawa Convention calls on the international

community to put an end to the suffering and casualties

caused by anti-personnel mines, which kill and maim

hundreds of people, mostly innocent and defenceless

civilians, especially children, and that obstruct

economic development and reconstruction. Regrettably,

the suffering and misery that anti-personnel landmines

cause is a serious burden on those citizens of my country

who live along the border with neighbouring States. In

that regard, we are committed to the full and effective

implementation of the Convention, in cooperation with

all parties concerned. Tajikistan is a strong advocate of

a mine-free Central Asia.

The year 2012 will be remembered as a historic

moment. Two decades after their first meeting in Rio

de Janeiro, national representatives gathered there

again to discuss and identify the most effective ways of

achieving sustainable development. The United Nations

Conference on Sustainable Development reiterated our

commitment to a path towards sustainable development

and to ensuring an economically, socially and

ecologically sustainable future for our planet: the future

we want. Ensuring sustainable economic development

designed to improve people’s living standards and

quality of life is a strategic goal of the Government of

Tajikistan. We give special attention to the effective,

rational and protective use of natural resources, the

primary dimension of a green economy.

Making access to energy a priority is the key to

achieving all the Millennium Development Goals.

It is especially crucial for developing countries and remote mountain territories located far from major

infrastructure. My country is no exception to that, and

our access to energy is the key to social and economic

development and poverty reduction. Regrettably,

however, we are compelled to state that due to a lack of

mutual understanding and cooperation in the region and

to disregard for Tajikistan’s legitimate rights and vital

interests, for the past 10 years our country has suffered

from a severe power shortage during the winter.

Because of its lack of other energy sources, it is

vitally important for Tajikistan, which has enormous

hydro-energy potential, to develop hydropower

in a planned and integrated manner. According to

international treaties, Tajikistan has every right to use

its natural resources, including hydropower, for the

benefit of its people. At the same time, we wish to make

it clear from this rostrum, with full responsibility, that

in developing its hydropower potential, the Republic

of Tajikistan has no intention of exclusively pursuing

its own interests at others’ expense. On the contrary,

we sincerely advocate mutually beneficial regional

cooperation and partnership. It is against that backdrop

that we should view Tajikistan’s active cooperation

with the World Bank in developing a technical,

economic, social and ecological assessment of the

Rogun hydropower station, a project of vital importance

to my country. Similarly, we expect that while the

assessment is being carried out, the parties concerned

in the region will abstain from hasty and unconsidered

statements and actions that may run counter to existing

international agreements and to the spirit of friendship,

cooperation and good neighbourliness.

Tajikistan attaches great importance to the

interests of landlocked developing countries, whose

location makes them vulnerable. It is obvious that

Tajikistan’s geographic isolation and lack of access to

the sea constitute a serious obstacle to its sustainable

development. Under the circumstances, it is clear that

a network of reliable and unimpeded transportation

and communications arteries connecting Tajikistan to

the outer world via its neighbours is becoming vitally

important. In that regard, we call for the elimination

of any artificial and economically unsupported barriers

and obstacles to transportation and communication

links among the countries of the region that do not

contribute to developing and strengthening regional

cooperation and partnership. We hope that the relevant

United Nations missions in the region will pay due

attention to this issue. International Year of Water Cooperation, initiated

by Tajikistan, which coincides with the twenthieth

anniversary of the proclamation of 22 March as World

Water Day. To implement the goals of the International

Year of Water Cooperation, Tajikistan proposes holding

a number of events in 2013, including, in particular, a

General Assembly thematic session and an international

conference dedicated to water cooperation issues. In

that regard, my country will present a draft resolution

for consideration by the Second Committee. I would

like to take this opportunity to express our sincere hope

that Member States will support this initiative.

Tajikistan, as a strong supporter of broad and

comprehensive cooperation, believes that only

collective, coordinated efforts and effective regional

and international cooperation can serve as a foundation

for joint success, render the world a better and safer

place and make the lives of the people of our planet

happier and more dignified.