PERMANENT MISSION TO THE UNITED NATIONS

STATEMENT BY

H.E. STIPE MESIC

PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF CROATIA

UN MILLENNIUM SUMMIT

United Nations Headquarters

New York September 7, 2000

Mr. Chairman,

Mr. Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Time is running short. The moments in which we all intuitively feel that humankind is at a crucial crossroads are rare indeed. One of such moments is now.

I am confident that all those present here today share this feeling. Even more importantly, they are aware that the choice of each nation, and the collective choice and decisions of this, the only universal organization, imply far-reaching consequences for their countries and peoples. Indeed, this is the opportunity for a real choice between getting out of the quagmire of war, poverty and inequality on the one hand, and supremacy, irrational spending and dependence on the other and opening up the 'promised era' of freedom for all, equal opportunities and life worthy of man and the human race. We have such an opportunity now.

But time is running short. Mere words are not enough. Action is called for: in concert, and vigorously.

The twentieth century has been a period of immense progress of science and technology, never experienced or imagined before in the history of mankind. In this century man has soared into the air, stepped on the Moon and reached for the stars. Man has plunged into the depths of the sea and begun to exploit the submarine world, he has linked and shrunk the world by information and communication technologies even if he has not brought people closer everywhere. At the same time, he has gained better knowledge, if not awareness, of himself; the causes of many diseases and the drugs for their treatment have been discovered, and the human genome mapped.

Over the past one hundred years the political map of the world has also changed; some former states have disappeared, and many new states have come into being. Colonialism is gone, but quite a few states are in effect dependent on others because of their underdevelopment and poverty. Two world wars, two authoritarian systems with global ambitions, the Cold War, the global arms race and the bipolar world belong to the past. Confrontations have nevertheless remained. Protagonists of regional crises compete in arms build-up, and the differences between the North and the South, between the rich and the poor, have again moved to the forefront, with every North having its South. It is true that the third world war has been avoided, but local wars and terrorism have remained the sinister companions of twentieth century man. My country, Croatia, also had to experience once again all the horrors of war at the very end of the century.

I

Mr. Chairman,

Mr. Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am addressing you in the forum of the United Nations, an organization created fifty-five years ago. Over that period, there is no single ideal and principle guiding the founders of the global organization that has not been betrayed or threatened. But they have all been worth struggling for! It is precisely owing to this struggle that many things which were hardly present in human awareness at the onset of the century let me just mention human rights and rights of minorities are now, at the end of the century, indelibly imprinted in the human mind.

Democracy may not be the ideal system, but there is no better. Similarly, we can say that the United Nations as an organization is not ideal. However, in spite of its omissions and failures this, the only universal organization has been shown to be irreplaceable. We in Croatia can bear witness both to the omissions and to the irreplaceability of the United Nations.

I am confident that we are all aware of the necessity of providing full support to the global organization, and that we are united in expressing our will and determination to make it, through common efforts, the most relevant and efficient factor in the presentday world, an organization which every nation will truly experieence as its own. I have in mind a regenerated and in every respect revitalized United Nations capable of responding to the challenges of the new century and providing the much needed framework for efforts focused on strengthening security, and on the achievement of progress and prosperity for all.

Thanks to the development of communications the world has become a global village. We all know everything. We cannot pretend ignorance. We cannot and must not turn a blind eye to the unthinkable misery of hundreds of millions of people, to the fact that many are still dying of hunger, that only a few hours' flight separates us from thousands and thousands of people condemned to death because of no access to drugs which can be bought in the developed countries world at an acceptable cost. We cannot turn a blind eye to the alarming increase of the number of drug addicts: drugs are mercilessly destroying the existence and the lives of young people in particular. We must face the AIDS pandemic, but also continue to persevere in the fight against 'old' epidemics like malaria.

We cannot remain indifferent to ethnically motivated wars and their lethal consequences, and to the still ineradicated heritage of racism and discrimination on the grounds of race, sex, age or faith. Unfortunately, I could also expound on part of this heritage on the basis of the experience of the conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Just as I could also expound on the effect of hate fed by differences on any kind: differences which, as we well know, are not the cause underlying conflicts but a means to manipulate the masses.

In this regard, we welcome the major contribution of Secretary General Annan, who has demonstrated his excellent knowledge of human suffering, of human weaknesses and of the deriving evils. We firmly support his vision of a world befitting Man and his fight against evil, a vision which has systematically inspired him throughout his rich career, and which is also the point of departure of his proposal and call for a thorough reform of the UN structure and activity, including the reform of the Security Council and the peacekeeping operation system, and the recognition of the role of the General Assembly.

Mr. Chairman,

Mr. Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with a sense of pride that I am addressing you today on behalf of the Republic of Croatia, a small European country which is experiencing the many ills of a country undergoing transition. We need, urge and count on the assistance of the international community in overcoming the consequences of the war, strengthening the institutions of civil society and democracy, whose firm and durable foundations have permanently been laid at the recent January elections. In particular we wish to commend the contribution of the UN to the achievement of the territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia, as well as the assistance provided Croatian citizens through the UNHCR. Croatia now seeks and begins to achieve its link-up with the Euro-Atlantic integrations and the European Union. Firmly committed to such foreign policy goals, we also expect their equally firm and encouraging support in this endeavour. We are still faced with the challenges of issues such as Prevlaka and the succession of the former SFR of Yugos

lavia, which ought to be dealt with in accordance with the principle of inviolability of internationally recognized borders, international law and equality.

By acting as a factor of peace and stability in the, region, and developing good relations primarily with our neighbours but also with geographically distant countries, we shall continue to contribute to the stabilization of conditions in Southeastern Europe, in Europe as a whole and in the world. Thus, through its initial involvement in the UN peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone, Croatia has started to repay its debt to the UN community in this field. We are determined to expand and reinforce our participation in all dimensions of peacekeeping operations, which are one of the core activities of the UN.

Chairman,

Mr. Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The world has reached a turning point. Time is running out. I urge you to pool our efforts and actions lest we should disappoint the millions of those who in the twentieth century gave their life for a better tomorrow as well as those who will spend the greater part of their life in the twenty-first century. Let us help the young in the poor as well as in the rich countries to overcome the frustration with which they are currently faced, although for different reasons. Time is running short; let us set off, let us start before it is too late.

The path ahead is clear. Let us follow the signpost offered us by the Secretary General in his report, let us breathe life into it. Let us start from the point of departure: let us secure the recognition of the values of freedom, equality and fundamental rights of states, peoples and, primarily, of individuals. Let us secure the recognition of principles, and strengthen the instruments and standards of the fight against discrimination, intolerance, supremacy and dependence of any kind.

Let us harness our forces and endure in our efforts to curb the arms race, which is wasteful and lethal in every respect. Let us conclude new treaties, and reinforce our support of existing treaties covering this field, particularly with regard to mine control, and the control of small-bore weapon production and trade.

Let us espouse the positive achievements and promises of globalization, and

attenuate its negative implications. We can achieve that by favouring economic relations

which will provide for the gradual emergence of poor countries from their predicament.

Let us reform the international financial institutions, but let us not, in that process,

neglect or unilaterally avo id the discipline and commitments imposed by global

interdependence.

Let us fight for the preservation of our rivers, mountains, seas and oceans, our common heritage on this planet; let us commit ourselves to compliance with the assumed undertakings because we thereby also preserve the basis of our own existence.

Speaking of undertakings, one of the vehicles which can help us best in arranging this world is certainly international law, and in this regard the role of the UN and of the Secretary General as the depositary of more than 500 treaties is of irreplaceable and invaluable significance. In endeavouring to safeguard and reinforce the elementary norms of international humanitarian law, the Security Council has also established ad hoc criminal tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. However, genuine progress towards universal protection will by achieved through the International Criminal Court.

In conclusion, let me call on you to confirm our dedication to peace and to the protection of all rights of every human being in this world, because relations of genuine equality on the global scale can only be established on such a foundation. Human life is the supreme value, and this is why we have the right and the obligation to stand up in this protection, wherever and by whomever it may be jeopardized, through our common, global organization.

Mr. Chirman,

Mr. Secretary General,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

The key to the future is in our hands! The future will be of our own doing.

Let us boldly open the door of the new century and the new millennium! Let us do is together, here and now! For-the world is at a turning point, and time is running short.