[...] The Taliban movement has chosen a dangerous path having turned the territory under its control into a gigantic drug producing and distribution factory. Defying the appeals of the international community this "factory of death" continues to increase its capacities. [...]

PERMANENT MISSION OF THR REPUBLIC OF TAJIKISTAN TO THE UNITED NATIONS

ADDRESS

BY

His Excellency Mr. Emomali Rakhmonov

President of the Republic of Tajikistan

To the 54th Session of the

United Nations General Assembly

General Debate

New York, October 1, 1999

Distinguished Mr. President,

First of all, allow me to congratulate you on your election to the high post of the President of the General Assembly.

We are convinced that thanks to your wisdom and experience you, Mr. President, will successfully guide the deliberations of this important forum.

Mr. President,

Distinguished delegates,

In the past century the mankind has made unprecedented strides in its overall progress. It has demonstrated with unparalleled force the creative genius and potential of human mind. At the same time, regretfully, it highlighted the inherent human failings that are the root causes of tremendous social and political upheavals, further exacerbation of global problems and the emergence of new challenges.

One of the most significant achievements of the 20-th century is the establishment of the United Nations and its indispensable legal framework and mechanisms giving it the tools to organize collective actions of States in order to counter current and future threats.

Tajikistan is in favor of strengthening the UN and its Security Council as a body responsible for maintenance of international peace and security.

It appears to be propitious and useful at the threshold of the 21-st century to philosophically rethink its lessons in order to define main parameters of the future world order and develop a program of actions to put them into practice.

We see many valuable and mutually enriching ideas in such initiatives as convening in the year 2000 during the 554h of session of the UN General Assembly of the "Millenium Summit", proposal of Russia to elaborate "Concept of Peace in

the 21-st century", Iran's idea of a "Dialogue between civilizations", plan of a number of States regarding "Culture of Peace" and other initiatives.

Tajikistan, on its part, intends to continue to contribute to this intellectual endeavor aimed at encouraging all States to join efforts and concentrate on the main areas of international cooperation.

Distinguished Mr. President,

Having gained independence eight years ago, the people of Tajikistan had made its choice in favor of democracy. And although our movement along the path of reform of the political system and market transformations in the social and political sphere has been seriously tested, we, despite all odds, rose up to

the challenge. Today we can firmly state that we will not veer off the chosen road of building democratic, law-abiding and secular society in Tajikistan.

The latest proof of that are the results of popular referendum on amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Tajikistan held on September 26 of the current year which have demonstrated growing support for efforts of the government to establish lasting peace and accord in our country and on that basis to further build civil society and form sustainable democratic institutions.

Many States needed hundreds of years to reach today's level of democracy. Tajikistan as other new or reborn democracies will have to cover that distance within shorter period of time while gradually tackling difficult and complex tasks in civil, political, economic, social and cultural areas.

It is clear that this will require timely, adequate and coordinated support from the UN, and we do expect that such support will be provided.

Mr. President,

I wish to note with great satisfaction that the transitional period provided for in the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan has entered its final stretch. Thus, the way towards further

strengthening the fundamentals of peaceful democratic development has now been open.

In this context of critical importance are forthcoming in the coming months presidential and parliamentary elections in Tajikistan, which, we hope, will be successful with adequate assistance from the UN and OSCE.

Now, as never before, a peace process in Tajikistan needs active support, particularly material and financial assistance, of the international community.

We hope that a situation when donor States allocated but a few percent of funds pledged in response to the appeal of the UN Secretary General in 1999 for humanitarian assistance to Tajikistan will in the near future be corrected.

The government of Tajikistan, despite difficulties, has consistently implemented a program of economic reforms in order to create effective market economy. Step by step an appropriate legal framework providing favorable environment for the development small and medium-sized businesses, foreign investments, promotion of market institutions, including in finance and banking, is being established.

The International Monetary Fund, World Bank and a number of other influential and authoritative international financial and economic institutions and agencies support these efforts of the government of Tajikistan.

At this qualitatively new stage of development related to restructuring of economic and political systems, we in Tajikistan count on all possible assistance and help of the international community.

Distinguished Mr. President,

We are extremely concerned by a continuing intra-Afghan conflict. The world community must do everything possible for the soonest restoration of peace on Afghan soil. The civil war that has been raging in Afghanistan for twenty years and inflicted irreparable harm to the long-suffering Afghan people must not be allowed to turn into "a hundred years war" and continue into the third millenium.

It is our deep belief that political settlement of the conflict through the formation of a broad-based representative government that would reflect and protect interests of all political, ethnic and religious groups and segments of Afghan society, is the only way to ending a protracted bloodshed in Afghanistan.

We are convinced that the main efforts in the Afghan settlement must be aimed at strengthening a leading role of the UN as key mediator between parties in restoring peace and achieving national reconciliation in Afghanistan. The efforts of other international organizations and States should complement and reinforce the activities of the UN and must not be undertaken in isolation or, worse, go in the opposite direction.

In the context of strengthening the central role of the UN in coordinating international actions aimed at Afghan settlement, "a group of neighbors and friends of Afghanistan", namely "6+2", should redouble its efforts.

We consider that the Security Council should once again very seriously review the situation in Afghanistan and around it and take action, including imposing sanctions against those who violate resolutions of the Security Council and the General Assembly.

Distinguished Mr. President,

Engulfed by flames of conflict, Afghanistan is a source of many threats destabilizing situation in Tajikistan, the entire Central Asia and far beyond.

Countries of the Commonwealth of Independent States foster active bilateral and multilateral cooperation in stopping incursions from Afghanistan and proliferation in our region of militant ideology of Taliban, arms, crime, terrorism and various forms of extremism.

I wish to particularly emphasize the seriousness of drug problem.

The protracted war in Afghanistan, in particular, has turned this country into one of the main drug centers in the world.

The Taliban movement has chosen a dangerous path having turned the territory under its control into a gigantic drug producing and distribution factory. Defying the appeals of the international community this "factory of death" continues to increase its capacities.

Allow me to remind in this connection my proposal on creation of "security cordon" around Afghanistan to stop the flow of drugs from this country, put forward at the 20-th special session of the General Assembly in June 1998.

This idea was born out of concern that Tajikistan under prevailing social and economic conditions in the country is ill-equipped to reliably secure its

1 500 km-long border with Afghanistan.

There is also a tendency to use Tajikistan not only as a transit route for drugs but also a reprocessing station and even consumer market for local residents, which is part of plans of international crime groupings to destabilize situation in our country. However, a greater part of drugs finding its way to our territory is still destined for transshipment to other countries, primarily - through Russia and Transcaucasia - to European countries.

In that sense Tajik-Afghan border is a first frontier line of many other States, and joint efforts of Tajik and Russian border guards to secure this border are in the interests of a substantial part of the world community.

We note with satisfaction that our appeal has not been unheeded and that the past year has seen a breakthrough in cooperation of Afghanistan with relevant UN agencies, in particular the UN International Drug Control Programme whose

leadership has even more vigorously supported measures to combat drug trafficking taken by the government of Tajikistan.

In accordance with agreements between the government of Tajikistan and the above UN Program and designed projects, a number of specific activities are planned to increase anti-drug capacities of law enforcement and military structures of our

country, in particular those operating in the area along the Tajik-Afghan border.

The anti-drug agency reporting directly to the President of the Republic of Tajikistan has been established.

Cooperation between Tajikistan and the UN Drug Control Program is a good example of joining efforts in order to collectively fight against one of the most horrible human scourges.

Recently world has witnessed brazen actions of international terrorists who increasingly act under the banners of political extremism and religious fanaticism.

Tajikistan shares the view that fight against terrorism is one of the most pressing problems facing mankind today. Suffice it to mention the situation in Afghanistan that confirms that "drug dollars" contribute to creating favorable environment for terrorism.

We condemn terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and deem it necessary to coordinate actions of the entire world community for eradication of this scourge at global, regional and national levels. We consider useful an idea

of convening under the auspices of the UN in the year 2000 of a conference to elaborate joint organized actions of the world community to combat terrorism, an item that will be discussed at the 54-th session of the General Assembly.

Mr. President,

Tajikistan has consistently supported UN efforts for environmental protection. We note with appreciation a growing attention of the Organization to acute ecological problems facing our country and other States of Central Asia.

We hope that approaching year 2000 declared by the UN International year of mountains, would help mobilize potential of the international community to assist in preserving bio-diversity and natural mountain ecological systems. It is of particular importance to Tajikistan as a predominantly mountainous country.

We state with satisfaction that the leadership of the UN Secretariat, in particular Under Secretary General Mr. Sergio de Mello, are increasingly interested in cooperation with our country to ward off threat of a major natural disaster in the region of Central Asia related to the problem of lake Sarez.

In this context, in our view, it's time to focus attention of the world community on the problem of fresh water in all its aspects.

Therefore, Tajikistan puts forward an initiative to declare year 2003 International year of water.

Our initiative has been prompted by a threatening deterioration of situation related to absence for millions of people of access to clean water. It is a well-known fact that because of pollution of water half of population on our planet lives in unsanitary conditions, more than five million die every

year and more than three billion become ill. With the population growth a likelihood of "water wars" between States for fresh-water sources is becoming ever more real.

Thus, an issue of water and other challenges of a new age are directly linked to problems of security in the context of interdependence.

In addition to humanitarian aspect, a problem of water has other dimensions, in particular economic and ecological. Given that water is a common heritage, it is necessary to ensure division of responsibility among all States for its preservation for the benefit of future generations.

Constructive global cooperation could become a worthy political dimension of the 21-st century and guarantee that it will never have a military aspect.

We hope that our initiative for solution of water problems, already vital not only for water-resources rich Tajikistan but also the majority of States Members of the UN, will find an appropriate response of international community.

Mr. President,

Independence, national revival, choice of its own way of building a new democratic society, market reforms in economy, desire to find its place in world community and together with other States respond to dangerous challenges at the start of the 21-st century - all this makes real a prospect of sustainable

progress in development.

Peace and stability have given new strength to my people. Construction of a railroad, industrial enterprises and social infrastructure has started along the historic ancient Great Silk Route that runs through the territory of Tajikistan.

This year we are completing construction of a Trans-boundary route that will give us access to sea.

This is our contribution to restoring direct communication between individuals and peoples along an ancient route that in the middle ages served as a bridge between East and West and enabled dialogue between civilizations.

We expect that in the near future goods will flow along this route in both directions. This, undoubtedly, will foster better mutual understanding between all peoples in the East and West and also will have a positive effect on strengthening regional security and cooperation between neighboring countries of Central Asia.

Mr. President,

Life has proven many times that referring to one's own sources is always a potent means of spiritual therapy, especially for people who have overcome the tragedy of fratricidal war and are entering a period of active post-conflict

reconstruction.

At a stage of revival and building a new democratic society we once again look back at our ancient history. These days when with active support from the UN a process of national reconciliation is close to its objective, our country celebrates ii 00-th anniversary of founding the State of Samanides marking the birth of Tajik statehood.

We express our appreciation to UNESCO, all States and international organizations that responded to our appeal and supported efforts to undertake international activities devoted to this momentous date.

The Age of Samanides was a time not only of unprecedented flourishing of science and culture, philosophy and emergence of Tajik statehood.

It was also a time of birth and blossoming of medieval humanism that added to the wealth of world civilization.

Allow me to express hope that in the approaching third millenium it is the humanistic ideals that will light for the world community an arduous road to universal peace, sustainable development and peaceful construction.

Thank you for your attention.