ВЫСТУПЛЕНИЕ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА РТ НА 63-Й СЕССИИ ГЕНЕРАЛЬНОЙ АССАМБЛЕИ ООН (английская версия)

 SPEECH OF THE PRESIDENT OF TAJIKISTAN EMOMALI RAHMON AT THE 63RD SESSION OF THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY        Dear Mr. Chairman!        1. First of all let me congratulate you with your election on a senior position of the Chairman of the General Assembly and to express hope that under your leadership the 63rd session of the General Assembly will achieve set goals, the main of which is the further strengthening of the United Nations system for the sake of peacekeeping and international security, solution of global problems as challenges of the twenty first century. Dear ladies and gentlemen,        2. Last year humanity faced a number of interconnected crises: power energetic, food, climatic and financial ones, which caused general developmental crisis. Consequences of new challenges affected more sharply the social estate of millions of people in developing countries and states with transitive economy, and my country is not an exception of it.         But hopes of people on a fairer and safer world are not lost yet. They connect them with the strong and vigorous United Nations Organization capable to mobilize and direct its resources on the solution of the most essential today's problems. Thus we consider that there is an acute necessity to provide effective development of dialogue and cooperation of all components of the multipolar world, and also to avoid double standards in the international practice, and equally not allow the confrontation of races, religions, continents and regions.          3. Even the most powerful country in the world can not corpe even with the existing challenges — from combating against climate change to the uncompromising struggle against international terrorism. Nowadays, more than ever, new generation of global problems demands a collective response and the United Nations, entrusted with the wide mandate, is the non-alternative device of their solution.          4. It concerns especially human's rights for worthy food provision. Due to swing in food and energy carriers' prices, achieving Development Millennium goals has become more problematic.         The current food has had the most negative effect on the poorest part of population. In Tajikistan, where 93% of territory consists of mountains and only 7% of soil is arable, the crisis has influenced on two thirds of families. It is necessary to undertake additional joint efforts and effectual measures for not allowing further aggravation of the situation in the sphere of food security in the world. We hope that donor states will make necessary political, financial and economic steps directed at the prevention of the food crisis aggravation, which may lead to further impoverishment of millions of people.         We also expected that more of official international aid will be directed to the development of agriculture, and artificial trading barriers, at last, will be removed.          It is quite clear that the United Nations should play decisive role in overcoming the food crisis and in urgent change of the world agricultural policy.         5. Tajikistan supports the activity of the UN Interoffice Target Group which is entrusted with working out measures of urgent response to the food crisis. The efforts of the Target Group should be also directed at the assistance in the preparation of uniform and coordinated long-term approaches to the solution of global problems in the food safety ensuring. Important steps in this direction were the results of the Rome high level meeting on food security and its outcome Declaration.           Within the framework of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization, it is necessary to intensify efforts to transfer high technologies and seeds to developing countries and to render them financial and technical assistance. We also urge to increase support for the assistance programs which are implemented through the World Food Program.          6. The right of every human for worthy food provision is that very question, on the solution of which lives of millions of people on the planet, including women and children, depends. It is the question that requires, rather than protracted discussions, more resolute practical actions because the food crisis constitutes not less threat than terrorism, as it deprives people of their human dignity.          We hold that the leading countries of the world should more responsibly address the minimization of the consequences of the world financial, food and power energy crisis, especially in what regards poor and developing states where disastrous results of these phenomena are more sharply felt.          7. Tajikistan, possessing fertile land and rich in water resources, can bring its contribution to the solution of this problem. On the territory of my country over 55 % of water resources of the whole region of Central Asia are accumulated. This potential is capable not only to provide irrigated agriculture and other spheres of the region's countries with fresh water, but also is the major source for production of non-polluting electric power. For example, the hydropower potential of Tajikistan is estimated at five hundred and twenty seven billions kW/h per year, about five percent of which is only made use of nowadays.         The exploitation of this renewable energy source is capable to reduce level of dependence on other traditional kinds of energy which negatively influence on climate and cause huge damage to environment. The implementation of hydraulic engineering projects in Tajikistan can render rather beneficial effect on the sustainable development of all states in the region. We account on the support of our plans on the part of Bretton-Woods Institutions and partners of the United Nations from private sector.          Only the integrated and mutually advantageous approach of the countries of this region to the usage of hydropower and other natural resources is capable to provide sustainable development of the Central Asia and to promote the solution of food and environmental problems which closely depend on rational usage of these resources. Only the mutually advantageous cooperation in their rational and effective utilization can bring prosperity to the peoples inhabiting this extensive region.         I am sure that it is necessary to create such an economic mechanism of water and power resources overflows which would integrate interests of the upper reaches countries, rich in water resources, and the lower course countries where mainly hydrocarbon raw materials are located.         8. As the climate change problem regards, it has already influenced negatively on our region and, first of all, on the situation with water resources. As a result of global warming the area of glaciers in Tajikistan has reduced for on over 30 %. Last three years in the region's rivers lack of water is registered, and it has caused acute social and economic problems, drought, invasion of locusts and a number of other problems. Without the implementation of hydropower projects, the country cannot reach Millennium Development Goals and ensure its sustainable growth, and the severe winter in early this year had shown all the difficulties of the transition period.         9. The indispensable role of water, not only for drinking needs, but also for manufacture, environment protection and development as a whole, is quite obvious. The rational usage of water resources can assist in combating against poverty and under nutrition. An access to pure water can be helpful in the sphere of education, promote strengthening of public health services and ecological stability. The solution of the actual problems connected with water, development of the international cooperation in the sphere of water are the tasks of the International decade of actions "Water For Life", initiated by Republic of Tajikistan. I invite member states to send their high rank representatives in Dushanbe for participation in the work of the International forum on fresh water for the purpose of joint estimation of practical implementation of the coordinated "International Water Agenda".         Besides this, to ensure complex examination and solution of water related problems and consolidate efforts undertaken on national and global levels, Republic of Tajikistan proposes to hold a special session of the UN General Assembly that would assess the progress in the accomplishment of the Water Decade tasks and define guiding lines for further actions.          10. Today, simultaneously with general debates, the High Level Forum on the Development Goals of the Millennium Declaration is being held in the UN headquarters. For my country, the timely achievement of the Millennium Development Goals is a priority task. The Government implements the National Development Strategy for the period of up to 2015, which represents a principally new approach to guaranteed development. It takes into consideration the world experience in what regards the working out and implementation of similar strategic documents, lessons and conclusions drawn from previous stages of the country's development, as well as real achievements and prospects of growth.        In the sphere of education, the Government adopted relevant strategies and action plans aimed at the reform of education and raising of its quality. At present, about a half of the country's state budget is being spent on funding social sector, including, first of all, education and health care systems. All this considered, I would like to note that the state's potentialities to fund this sector are limited and depend on real economy's growth rate.         11. It is evident that the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in many ways depends on the international community's approach on the questions of rendering help to developing countries and ensuring proper mobilization of internal and external resources. In this connection, Tajikistan joins the calls on the donors' community to double the volumes of help granted for developmental purposes, since this assistance plays the most significant role in supporting development and achieving internationally coordinated goals in the sphere of development.         Besides, of paramount importance is still the proposal to exchange developing countries' debts for national projects in the sphere of sustainable development. Partial write-off of debts, which would allow to invest released funds in education, environment protection, combating HIV/AIDS and other purposes, keeps on retaining its topicality, as well.        The forthcoming review of the Monterrey Conference on Financing for Development, due to be held in Doha, will give a good opportunity of working out further efficient measures to meet the demands for resources necessary for achieving the Millennium Development Goals. We hope that in the course of Doha meeting we will succeed in giving a new impetus to the Monterrey Consensus for the sake of strengthening the spirit of global partnership and solidarity.          12. International trade and direct investments are two interconnected driving forces of the ongoing globalization. Given open, regulated and just framework is secured for all parties, they can significantly speed up achieving the Millennium Declaration Goals. Global economic growth and stable international financial system, too, can enhance the capability of countries to achieve the above-mentioned goals. They should contribute to maintaining economic growth and promote sustainable development, as well as uprooting of poverty and famine, which, in spite of the world community's long-term efforts, keep on retaining their topicality, like ever before.         13. A grievous example of this is Afghanistan, devastated by protracted conflict and violence. More than a half of its population is living below poverty line, with humanitarian situation aggravating from year to year. The situation in this country arouses grounded anxiety.         Rather than increase in military presence on its soil, Afghanistan needs targeted economic, technical and humanitarian assistance. Practice shows that quite often military actions aimed at combating terrorist groups are less efficient than well-considered non-violent political and economic measures. It is necessary to assess, without delay and in a realistic way, the possibilities of involving other influential region's players, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, in the solution of the Afghan problem.         14. The bolstering of international cooperation in fight with terrorism is closely connected with counteraction to illegal drugs circulation. It is obvious that this interconnected problem is aggravating from year to year, posing very serious threat not only to our region, but in global scale, as well. The heroin aggression can only be stopped by collective efforts.         It is highly important to help Afghanistan's government break established technological and financial circuits of present-day narcotics industry. Joint efforts will raise the efficiency of actions aimed at achieving the goals of the Global Counter-terrorist Strategy and Paris Declaration.         15. The emerging global system of counter-acting against terrorism, trans-national crime and illegal drugs circulation cannot be built without support of regional organizations. In this connection, Tajikistan greets efforts aimed at the strengthening of cooperation between the UNO and respective regional organizations. The potential of these structures is very significant, so its active involvement in the solution of global problems can help prevent present-day challenges and threats from gaining undesirable dimensions. This applies to both peacekeeping activities and preventive diplomacy.         16. The UN and peacekeeping are two inseparable notions. We remember well those who worked selflessly with the UN Mission in Tajikistan and highly revere the memory of those fallen while executing their professional duties. The model of settling the inter-Tajik conflict with the assistance of the UN and guarantor countries has been recognized as a unique example of both peacekeeping efforts and preventive diplomacy. We support the UN Secretary-General's initiatives aimed at the reform of the peacekeeping mechanism and believe that it is necessary to render peacekeepers further political, financial, material and technical aid, thus helping them carry out their difficult mission. We share the priorities of the UN-conducted work aimed at raising the efficiency and output of assisting conflict-affected countries and support the Peacekeeping Commission's activity dedicated to promote coordination and raise the effectiveness of international help to these counties.         The fortifying of the foundation of peace and stability in conflict-affected countries presupposes not only rendering humanitarian aid, but also real assistance the solution of their economic and social problems, as well as support for their efforts to create a necessary base for the transition to sustainable development.         Dear ladies and gentlemen,        17. This year the world community has widely celebrated the 1150th anniversary of the founder of the Tajik-Persian literature Abu Abdullah Rudaki. The cornerstone of his poetical creation is the defending of humanity's eternal moral values — good and beauty, tolerance and mutual aid. Even after several centuries Rudaki's poetry keeps on calling on humans to strengthen friendship among peoples and broaden inter-civilization dialogue. It glorifies humanism and harmony.         As it was noticed by the UN Secretary-General, "from Rudaki's heritage, we derive the inspiration for the Alliance of Civilizations, the UN initiative aimed at combating extremism and discords that threaten the world". I am convinced that today the common human values praised by Rudaki are still concordant with the tasks carried out by the UN throughout the world. I am filled with optimism that today we are in position to make the world better and justify hopes and expectations of our peoples.         Thank you.                                                        Translated by NIAT "Khovar".