Voice of America
Russia Proposes New European Security Pact
By Margaret Besheer
United Nations
28 September 2008
Russia’s foreign minister has proposed the creation of a new European
security pact, saying existing mechanisms failed when tested during
the Caucasus crisis. Sergei Lavrov was one of several world leaders
who addressed the U.N. General Assembly’s annual debate during a
special Saturday session. From United Nation’s headquarters in New
York, VOA’s Margaret Besheer has more.
Sergei Lavrov said the crisis that erupted in August between Russia
and Georgia over the breakaway Georgian provinces of South Ossetia and
Abkhazia demonstrated that new security mechanisms are needed to
provide equal security for all states.
Mr. Larov went to on to state, "it is a process involving all
participants who would reaffirm their commitment to fundamental
principles of the international law, such as non-use of force and
peaceful settlement of disputes, sovereignty, territorial integrity
and non-interference in the internal affairs, and inadmissibility of
strengthening one’s own security by infringing upon the security of
others."
He said such a treaty should fit naturally into the legal framework of
the U.N. Charter and its principles of collective security.
On the subject of the military conflict between Russia and Georgia he
said, "this problem has now been closed" because Moscow has recognized
the independence of the two pro-Russian breakaway provinces. "The
recognition of independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia by Russia
was the only possible measure to ensure their security and the very
survival of their peoples," he continued.
Lavrov also said the implementation of the peace agreement negotiated
by President Nicolas Sarkozy of France would help stabilize the
situation.
The United States and some European countries consider Russia in
violation of that agreement because the Russians have not entirely
withdrawn to their pre-conflict positions.
Also speaking Saturday was Azerbaijan’s Foreign Minister Elmar
Mammadyarov. He called the Caucasus crisis "worrisome" and said
simmering regional conflicts endanger peace and security.
"The Georgian case has also proved that the protracted conflicts
existing in the Georgia-Ukraine-Azerbaijan-Moldova (GUAM) area,
including the Armenia-Azerbaijan Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, remain a
major source of instability and a fragile cease-fire regime cannot be
a substitute for a lasting and durable peace in the region," Mr’
Mammadyarov stated.
North Korea’s Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Pak Kil Yon told the
delegates that denuclearization of the Korean peninsula is President
Kim Il Sung’s "lifetime instruction" and that Pyongyang has honored
its commitments under the Six Party Talks.
But in August, North Korea stopped work to disable its main Yongbyon
nuclear reactor, saying the United States had not honored its promise
to remove it from a list of state sponsors of terrorism. He said,
"this is little short of admitting that the list is not related to
terrorism in actuality."
Washington says it will remove North Korea as soon as it agrees to a
verification program.
Also Saturday, the Assembly heard from ministers from the Arab
countries of Egypt, Oman, Algeria, Tunisia, Bahrain, Syria and the
United Arab Emirates.
In a statement that was circulated but not read at the General
Assembly, Saudi Arabia spoke of its grave concern over the global
financial crisis and called for effective action to re-stabilize
markets. But the world’s largest oil producer did not mention rising
fuel prices that have caused a global crisis.
The annual debate concludes on Monday, when diplomats from South
Africa, Jordan, Ethiopia and Nigeria are among those scheduled to
speak.