On October 3, 2007, the First deputy Minister for foreign affairs of Ukraine Volodymyr Khandogiy delivered a speech on behalf of our state during the General Debate in the framework of the 62nd session of UN General Assembly, according to the MFA press-service.
Volodymyr Khandogiy raised an issue on necessity of international recognition of Great Famine – Holodomor – in Ukraine in 1932 – 1933. Notably he expressed his hope that the United Nations Organization “as a collective moral voice of the world community and an efficient instrument of protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms” would condemn this horrific catastrophe, which the Ukrainian nation lived through at the beginning of the third decade of the last century.
In light of celebration of 60th anniversary of UN Convention on Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide in 2008 the First deputy foreign minister appealed to the international community to adopt a resolution on launching of the International day of genocide victims commemoration.
While speaking on international peace and security issues Volodymyr Khandogiy stressed a need to strengthen international legal mechanisms and political instruments directed towards prevention of weapons of mass destruction proliferation, particularly through universalisation of the main multilateral treaties in this field. In this context attention was drawn to the initiative of Ukraine to hold on its territory during the next year an international conference in order to intensify global efforts to implement the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on their Destruction.
The First deputy foreign minister paid a particular attention to the issue of “frozen conflicts” on the territory of GUAM member states. Having noted that the mentioned conflicts constituted a danger for sovereignty and territorial integrity of the regions` countries and slowed down their social and economic development, he underlined the importance of further practical steps, particularly from the side of the UN and the regional organizations towards their settlement. Talking about the problem of Kosovo, V.Khandogiy expressed his belief that for achievement of its longstanding settlement the sides have to refrain from unilateral steps and attempts to solve it bypassing the UN.
Following his words, hasty actions to settle Kosovo issue may destabilize the situation on Balkans and have negative consequences for the whole system of international relations so far as similar scenarios can be pursuing by separatists forces in other regions.
With a view of next year celebration of 60th anniversary of UN peace keeping operations V.Khandogiy proposed to the member states to adopt a special declaration on this occasion during the 63rd session of UN General Assembly.
Traditionally during the speech the attention was paid to the topic of UN reform. In this respect invariability of our state position that the enlargement of UN Security Council members’ composition shall include granting of an additional non-permanent seat to states of Eastern European regional group, to which Ukraine belongs, was underlined.
Having raised a problem of Chornobyl V.Khandogiy called upon UN member states to support a new draft resolution on “Strengthening of international cooperation and coordination of efforts for research, softening and minimization of Chornobyl catastrophe consequences”, which Ukraine together with Belorus and Russia would like to propose for approval of 62nd session of UN General Assembly. The document shall give a new impetus to global community efforts in the mentioned sphere.
In his speech the First deputy foreign minister informed about the intention of our state to join “Group of friends” of the international initiative “Alliance of civilizations” created under the aegis of UN Secretary General following the proposal of Spain and Turkey governments. Groups` task is to facilitate implementation of the goals of the Initiative focused on exploration of existing threats to international peace and security, elaboration of collective means to overcome those negative phenomena through the program of practical actions towards harmonic coexistence of civilizations, strengthening of social and economic links between the Christian West and Muslim East, mutual understanding and development of inter-confessional dialogue
The same day V.Khandogiy held bilateral meetings with delegations of Austria, Kazakhstan, Russia, Kroatia, Chech Republic, during which issues of bilateral relations and cooperation in the UN framework were considered.
