Belarus’ approaches to the major issues of the 66th session of the United Nations General Assembly

Global Partnerships

Belarus will continue to advocate for the idea of establishing global partnerships against the whole array of transnational threats and challenges, as we strenuously did over the past several sessions of the UN General Assembly. We are fully convinced that in the current global environment, characterized by the so-called “dispersed” threats and multiple international stakeholders, there is no better option for co-operation than through the tool of global partnerships that bring together all positive stakeholders in the world – states, international intergovernmental organizations, global civil society and private sector. Belarus is of the view that it makes sense to forge specific partnerships against specific global “distempers”. 

As a matter of fact, on some of such partnerships the international community is well advanced, like in the implementation of the “Global Partnership against Slavery and Human Trafficking” that was initiated in due course by the Republic of Belarus. It is prudent to move along with setting up partnerships in other areas like energy, climate change, transnational organized crime, drugs, etc. We believe that the 66th session of the UN General Assembly provides a proper window of opportunity to advance our common work on global partnerships.

International Law

International law is the cornerstone of the existing international system, enshrined in the UN Charter and in a number of other important international legal instruments. It is a deterrent against lawlessness and impunity on the part of the big and powerful against the small and weak. Belarus is fully convinced that all our common undertakings at international cooperation would prove fruitless, if the global framework, in which we work together, i.e. international law, is flawed. That is why it is vitally important both to preserve and to strengthen the system of international law.

Clearly, there is more than sufficient ground to be anxious about in this respect, as international law continues to be violated and trampled under foot by some states and groups of states.

Examples abound. For instance, for decades the USA has been pursuing policies of economic, trade and financial blockade against the people of Cuba. This year, the United States imposed unilateral coercive measures in the form of economic sanctions against a number of Belarusian enterprises in violation of both international law and US’ own security commitments and guarantees to Belarus made in the 1990s that stemmed from the decision of Belarus to renounce available nuclear weapons that were on the latter’s territory after the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Both the USA and European Union continue to apply other illegal tools of political and economic coercion against Belarus in the context of the Presidential elections in the Republic of Belarus held last December.

Likewise, this year we have come to witness widespread interference in internal affairs of a number of countries in the broader Middle-Eastern region. We are fully convinced that it is the sole right and prerogative of the nations of the Middle East to determine their own path of development, while other states should refrain from meddling in internal affairs of Middle-Eastern nations.

With this in mind, Belarus will spare no efforts at the 66th session of the UN Generally Assembly to work together with other interested Member States to reinforce the system of established international law.

Belarus believes that firm adherence on the part of UN Member States in their foreign policies to the principle of diversity of ways of progressive development as an enduring value of mankind would only serve to strengthen international peace, development and human rights around the globe. We appeal to all Member States to make every effort in order to enshrine this principle, which signifies the fundamental right of all nations to self-determination and free choice of ways of political, economic, social and cultural development, in the session’s documents.

Peace, Security and Disarmament

Belarus fully supports the primary role assigned to the United Nations and its Security Council in the maintenance of international peace and security. In this regard we oppose all attempts that seek to unilaterally address urgent international peace and security problems. 

As a country that made significant contributions to nuclear and conventional disarmament, we will support efforts aimed at inducing the Member States to comply with their commitments derived from international treaties on disarmament and non-proliferation. 

Likewise, we will support measures that strengthen co-operation among various collective security structures at global, regional and sub-regional levels. As the country that currently chairs the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Belarus will be actively promoting such patterns of co-operation.

Belarus will support measures in respect of strengthening UN anti-terrorist activities in light of the implementation of the global anti-terrorist strategy adopted yet in September 2006. Belarus stands ready to take part in further efforts that seek to arrive at a definition of terrorism and complete the work on a draft Comprehensive convention on international terrorism. We believe that the 10th anniversary of the major terrorist attacks committed on the US soil should give the international community a fresh boost in its work in this area. 

The Republic of Belarus will continue to urge a peaceful settlement of the Middle Eastern conflict. Likewise, we shall support collective efforts of the international community to address other conflicts, particularly, those in the Middle East, Africa, Afghanistan and other hot spots. In this regard we set great importance upon the activities of the Peace-building Commission that deals with the issues of post-conflict recovery in countries emerging from wars. 

When it comes to the issue of non-proliferation, on a three-year basis Belarus sponsors a resolution in this area titled “Prohibition of the development and manufacture of new types of weapons of mass destruction and new systems of such weapons: report of the Conference on Disarmament”. At the 66th session we plan to do it again and count on the support of UN Member States.

Belarus pays special importance to the issue of providing assurances to non-nuclear weapon States against the use of nuclear weapons or against the threat of use of such weapons. There is the need to conclude a global legally binding international arrangement that provides unequivocal and unconditional assurances to non-nuclear-weapon states against threat or use of nuclear weapons.

The Republic of Belarus attaches great importance to UN peacekeeping operations. The Organization’s “blue helmets” implement in practice the UN Charter goals and principles by protecting people and providing conditions for them to live dignified lives. In our view, efforts at strengthening this area of UN activities demand widest support possible. Belarus, on its part, has been making a real contribution here by taking part in UN peacekeeping operations for the two consecutive years.

Development

Belarus is firmly convinced that the issue of development should remain on the highest rung of the ladder of United Nations priorities, as the international community is left with only four years to realize its global development agenda, including the accomplishment of the Millennium Development Goals. Therefore, the UN capacities in this area must be enhanced and the Organization should be able to more effectively support Member States in their endeavors to achieve the MDGs.

The current profound changes in the Middle East and North Africa caused by the growing problems of poverty and inequality once again highlight the need to realize a Global Partnership for Development. The UN high-level meeting as well as the Seoul meeting of G-20, both held last autumn, made important contributions in this field. Nevertheless, the continuing deteriorating context for development, in particular the soaring oil, food and energy prices across the world necessitate adoption of proactive and creative approaches.

Specifically, we see the wisdom to work out measures, within the Partnership on Global Development, that take stock of the extent of impact produced by factors like food production, access to energy, climate change, world’s population growth, as well as debt levels, on the state of global development. Belarus will be open to work on these issues with interested partners.

Likewise, at the 66th session we shall continue our traditional advocacy efforts at strengthening the social and economic sector of the UN, enhancing the role of ECOSOC in world economic affairs, expanding ECOSOC co-operation with Breton Woods institutions and World Trade Organization, reforming UN operational activities in a way that brings tangible benefits to recipient countries.

In a similar vein, the delegation of Belarus will strive to advance the interests of the countries with economies in transition, in particular, in economically oriented resolutions of the General Assembly’s Second Committee.

The Republic of Belarus is a candidate to the ECOSOC for the term of 2012-2014 at the elections to be held in the autumn of 2011. If UN Member States do Belarus the honor of electing it to the Council, the reinvigoration of work of this principal UN organ with the view to making it more effective and more oriented around the needs and priorities of developing countries and those with economies in transition will become the main task of our work therein for the next three years.

Furthermore, as a country that accumulated immense experience in tackling the consequences of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Belarus is interested in gaining membership of the UN Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR). We hope that UN Member States would recognize our large experience in the above area and lend us necessary support as regards membership in the UNSCEAR. 

Climate change, renewable energy

Belarus attaches great importance to the solution of the problem of climate change under the leading role of the UN. We consider the issue as a serious challenge to global sustainable development. Belarus stands for the broadest possible international cooperation and is in favor of a new comprehensive, balanced, lasting, equitable global climatic agreement to be reached in Durban in December 2011. We are hopeful that the above document may be agreed upon by concerned stakeholders in a transparent manner and take into account specific economic and social circumstances, energy profiles, development conditions of all UN Member-States to facilitate their capability to live up to the international commitments in the shortest time possible. 

The Republic of Belarus is a responsible Party to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Belarus appeals to the countries that have not accepted / approved / adopted / ratified Belarus’ amendment to Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol to do so as soon as possible as specified in the decision of the 12th session of UNFCCC Parties Conference in 2006. 

Realizing the growing role of renewable energy component in the implementation of the concept of sustainable development the Republic of Belarus supports positive developments in strengthening international efforts to shape a global strategy of the effective utilization of renewable energy. We welcome the creation under the aegis of the United Nations of an efficient global mechanism that, inter alia, secures access to / transfer of modern energy technologies for all countries of the world. 

As a practical step, Belarus would like to suggest that Member States, in the context of a General Assembly resolution on new and renewable sources of energy, set in motion work on creating such a mechanism. This would undoubtedly be a worthy contribution to the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All that we are to celebrate in 2012.

Belarus is ready to join a comprehensive and transparent dialogue to specify the concept of “green” economy. We consider this initiative instrumental in terms of ensuring sustainable development for the benefit of all stakeholders and future generations. However, we are against any possible attempts to use the concept as a tool for trade and technological discrimination. 

Middle-income countries

A few years ago Belarus was among those states that initiated the consideration by the General Assembly of the issue of United Nations co-operation with middle-income countries (MIC). The rationale for that move was quite clear: the middle-income countries accounted for almost two thirds of UN total membership, yet somehow the issue of MIC collective interests was not on the United Nations agenda. That is why it is highly gratifying to see that ever since the understanding of the impact produced by the middle-income countries on global political and economic affairs has been increasingly appreciated by the international community, while UN co-operation with this group of countries has been steadily on the rise.

At the current session the issue of UN co-operation with middle-income countries will be deliberated once again and will result in a relevant draft resolution. In preparation for the deliberation of the issue at the 66th session the UN Secretary-General had asked Member States to submit proposals for the report on the matter. Belarus gladly responded to the request and prepared an analytical paper, in which we articulated our vision of UN co-operation with MIC and suggested specific measures with the view to enhancing such a pattern of co-operation. With this in mind, the delegation of Belarus intends to take an active part both in the discussion on the relevant agenda item, as well as in the elaboration of a draft resolution related to UN co-operation with middle-income countries.

Human trafficking

Belarus deems it necessary that the international community takes adequate and concerted measures to prevent and suppress trafficking in humans. The trade in humans has become a global concern of very high order. Hundreds of thousands of people all over the world fall victim to the modern-day slavery every year. For many countries trafficking in humans may acquire such proportions that it would pose a threat to their national security and undermine economic and social foundations of their societies.

In this context it is quite encouraging that the past few years have seen considerable progress in the global efforts against the scourge of human trafficking. Indeed, in July 2010 the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted the Global Plan of Action to Combat Trafficking in Persons, the idea of which has been suggested by Belarus yet in 2005 and ever since actively advocated. The Global Plan is currently under implementation. In particular, earlier this year started its operations the Trust Voluntary Fund to assist victims of trafficking that was established by the Global Plan. Belarus fully supports this victim-centered approach and was among the first countries to make a voluntary contribution to the Fund. We hope that other states will also join to support the Fund by rendering financial assistance to this important initiative that promotes the interests of victims.

We believe that the progress on human trafficking would have hardly been possible without a committed group of states that strenuously advanced this matter in the United Nations, namely, the Group of Friends, United against Human Trafficking, which brings together 21 Member States representing all continents. It is highly gratifying that this year the Group, initially brought to life in New York, has established its chapters in Vienna and Geneva and strongly pushed throughout the year for the implementation of the Global Plan. Belarus has the honor of chairing the activities of the Group, and, as the chair, will convene on the sidelines of the 66th session of the UN General Assembly the Second ministerial meeting of the Group to take stock of human trafficking-related activities over the past year and chart action for the future. 

Human rights

The Republic of Belarus views the area of human rights as an integral part of the United Nations activities, which, according to the Charter, were set up to promote the development of basic rights and freedoms for all people on the planet without distinction for race, sex, language and religion.

However, we are concerned that over the past years some countries have been making an increasing recourse to human rights in order to advance their parochial interests or to settle scores with those countries, with whom they run differences in bilateral or multilateral relationships. Such destructive activities, undertaken against the backdrop of ever-rising global challenges and threats, were the corollary of the crisis of international human rights machinery, that had dismantled the Commission on Human Rights, and which the Human Rights Council, set up in 2006, has yet failed to rectify. The Council’s mechanism of the Universal Periodic Review has not unfortunately become the universal gauge by which Member States’ human rights records are judged.

We firmly believe that the international community should, inter alia, address the root causes of human rights violations, which are, among others, poverty, inequality, discrimination, social alienation. In the area of human rights there is a need to strike a balanced attention to the promotion and protection of varied types of rights: civil and political as well as economic, social and cultural rights, in addition to the right to development.

The Republic of Belarus has been consistently calling for constructive international co-operation on human rights that should be based on the principles of mutual respect and equitable partnership. We urge all Member States to follow this approach. Belarus will strive to ensure that UN human rights entities hold fast in their work to the principles of universality, impartiality, non-selectivity as well as to constructive dialogue and cooperation on the promotion of rights and basic freedoms. 

The delegation of Belarus will vehemently oppose at the session any country-specific resolutions, viewing them as a political tool utilized by some countries to advance their own interests that have nothing to do with human rights.

UN Reform, budget

Belarus views as very important institutional reforms in the United Nations that aim at empowering its principal organs to more effectively deal with the whole range of issues on the agenda of the Organization. At the same time, we think that it is necessary to retain the existing distribution of responsibilities among the main UN bodies as they have been set forth in the Charter.  

We fully support efforts pertaining to the revitalization of the General Assembly as the highest representative body of the United Nations that is entitled to make decisions on all issues of the UN activities, be they peace and security, development, post-conflict recovery, disarmament, fight against terrorism or others.

Belarus welcomes proposals to increase the role of the General Assembly in the election of UN Secretary-General. Notwithstanding, we believe that the primary role of the Security Council in this process, defined by the Charter and General Assembly resolution 11 (1) 1946, must remain intact. We endorse the position that General Assembly resolutions should be fully implemented.

When it comes to reforming the United Nations Security Council, the Republic of Belarus supports the process in general. We call for the enhancement of the authority and legitimacy of decisions made by the Security Council. We would also like to see more efficiency in Security Council activities. In this regard the enlargement of the Council in its both categories, with due consideration given to all five regional groups, we consider as the key component of its reform. Belarus strongly advocates for the allocation of an addition non-permanent seat to the regional group of Eastern European countries under any possible formula for Security Council reform. We urge all Member States to do their best to achieve consensus on Security Council reform. Belarus is against the imposition of any timetable on this process. We are also of the belief that continued efforts are needed to improve the working methods and procedures of the Council.

Belarus welcomes proposals to continue reforms in UN management and budgetary areas. We are convinced that the primary role in decision-making here should belong to the Member States.

The delegation of Belarus intends to actively participate in the discussion on the draft UN budget for the biennium of 2012-2013. Our priority there is to preserve the interests of European countries in the context of budgetary funding allocated to the UN Economic Commission for Europe.

Throughout the session the delegation of Belarus will stand ready to actively co-operate with partners from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, Commonwealth of Independent States, as well as the Non-Aligned Movement. In particular, as a member of the Non-Aligned Movement, Belarus intends to work closely with its NAM partners in the implementation of the Outcome document of the Movement’s XVI Ministerial Meeting held last May in Bali (Indonesia) titled “A Shared Vision for the Next 50 Years”.