Naujienos

Ambasadorės R.Murmokaitės,
Lietuvos nuolatinės atstovės JT, pareiškimas
67-oje JT Generalinės Asamblėjos sesijoje
"Padėtis Afganistane" klausimu 
Niujorkas, 2012 m. lapkričio 27 d.

(anglų kalba) 

Mr. President,

I wish to thank the Secretary General for his regular critical reporting on the situation in Afghanistan. I also thank Germany and all other sponsors of the draft resolution. We look forward to its adoption by consensus.

Lithuania aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union.

Let me reiterate how much importance we attach to the UN's efforts in Afghanistan. Given the reconfiguration of UNAMA and a decrease in resources, a continued debate on the role and responsibilities of the United Nations in Afghanistan is necessary.

We welcome the further consolidation of commitments to partnership and mutual accountability by the Afghan Government and the international community at the Tokyo Conference. In Tokyo, Lithuania reaffirmed its commitment to continue its political support for and assistance to Afghanistan in the run up to 2014 and beyond.

Over the past 7 years Lithuania has provided funding of about 4.5 million euros for over 170 projects. Lithuania is determined to keep its development assistance at the current level and to support civilian and military capacity-building efforts after the transition will have been completed. Education, health care, good governance, and the rule of law – these are the areas where the Afghan Government has made significant progress and which remain critical to the future of Afghanistan. We will continue assisting Afghanistan in building its administrative capacity, promoting rural development, supporting women’s empowerment and strengthening civil society. We shall also be increasingly providing support through the central budget.

We are also determined to maintain our strong support to the reform and further development of a sustainable civilian police force and rule of law institutions through the EUPOL mission. Lithuania has been contributing to this mission and will continue to do so.

The EUPOL is fully integrated into wider international efforts to reform the Afghan national police and has been working closely to this effect with key partners, such as the United Nations. Our goal is to make sure that the EUPOL efforts deliver substantial results across Afghanistan.

In the security area since 2010, our efforts have been focused on training and providing assistance to the Afghan provincial security forces. Afghan governmental security forces are capable of maintaining security in their country, as it is their responsibility and their right to do. The goal is to hand over full responsibility for security to the Afghans by the end of 2014. Lithuania will continue to support Afghanistan on its path towards self-reliance in security. In this regard, our Government has decided to allocate 0.5 million US dollars annually for supporting the ANSF for the period of 3 years, from 2015 to 2017.

Afghanistan must keep the pace of reforms. Development and smooth implementation of National Priority Programmes, improved transparency and accountability, fight against corruption, respect for human rights, in particular the rights and empowerment of women, remain essential elements if international assistance as well as domestic transformation are to be effective.

Prosperity and security grow when neighbours trust each other. Lithuania encourages Afghan efforts to foster regional cooperation through the Afghan-led Istanbul Initiative. In September 2012 Lithuania hosted an international conference “Afghanistan and the Region: Practical Approach for Sustainable Development” that brought together high-level participants from Afghanistan, Central and South Asia and the Nordic-Baltic region.

The conference was used to share best practices and successful examples of regional Nordic-Baltic integration. One of the conclusions that we drew was that free trade agreements are essential between Afghanistan and its closest neighbours.

Enhanced investment depends on improvements in the rule of law. Gains in education could be furthered through a regional network of universities. Regional projects in energy, communications, border management, environment would bind communities and people together. A free media also remains essential for conflict resolution and for fostering a sense of community. Political dialogue must be driven by the future agenda rather than past history.

Mr. President,

Our commitment in Afghanistan remains firm – support for stability, security and development of the country –now as well as after the transition period.