Naujienos

Jungtinių Tautų Saugumo Tarybos atviruosiuose debatuose "Jungtinių Tautų ir regioninių bei subregioninių organizacijų bendradarbiavimas palaikant tarptautinę taiką ir saugumą" Lietuvos nuolatinė atstovė JT ambasadorė Raimonda Murmokaitė sveikino didėjantį regioninių organizacijų vaidmenį tarptautinės taikos ir saugumo srityje ir pabrėžė, kad bendradarbiavimas turi būti grindžiamas atsižvelgiant į kiekvienos organizacijos patirtį ir gebėjimus bei siekiant išvengti  tarpusavio konkurencijos.

Statement by Permanent Representative of Lithuania

to the United Nations Raimonda Murmokaitė
at UN Security Council Open Debate on co-operation between the United Nations and regional and sub-regional organizations in maintaining international peace and security

New York, August 6, 2013

Madame President,

I would like to begin by expressing my delegation’s appreciation to Argentina, Presidency of the Security Council for the month of August for organising this debate. I thank the Secretary General and representatives of the regional organizations for their briefings. Lithuania associates itself with the statement made by a representative of the European Union. In addition, allow me to make the following remarks.

Over the recent years, the relationship between the UN and regional and sub-regional organizations in the field of peace and security has evolved both in terms of ambition and depth.

We welcome such developments because, as noted by previous speakers, regional actors possess a unique local knowledge, can intervene more promptly due to existing stand-by arrangements and mechanisms and ensure regional ownership of conflict resolution and subsequent peace-building processes.

Importantly, the geographical proximity of their members and the specific regional knowledge and experience of these organisations can play an essential role in the early identification of potential conflicts and thus in defusing crises before they occur.

Based on our own experience in preventive diplomacy (including during Lithuania’s OSCE chairmanship), we encourage the UN and regional and sub-regional actors to further explore and strengthen the preventive and confidence building dimensions of cooperation.

Madame President,

No two crises or conflicts are identical. Therefore, as noted in the 2009 New Horizon report, the political and operational realities on the ground will continue to demand flexible, case-specific and creative UN partnerships with regional actors, building on their comparative strengths, ensuring consistency and complementarity of efforts, and avoiding duplications.

Nowhere UN’s cooperation with regional and sub-regional organisations has evolved as much as on the African continent, involving the African Union, Africa’s major sub-regional organisations, the European Union, and other players, as diverse as the International Francophone Organisation (in the case of CAR).

Lithuania is proud to contribute to such multifaceted efforts. Just recently, our military advisers have joined the EU training mission for Malian soldiers in the region of Koulikoro.

Earlier this year Lithuania deployed troops on an antipiracy mission off the coast of Somalia, a country where the UN, AU, and EU have joined forces with an aim to restoring peace and stability for this long-suffering nation.

Madame President,

While welcoming the Council’s continued dialogue and consultations with regional organisations as well as joint actions on the ground, we would encourage an enhanced focus in such cooperation on issues of justice and accountability, tackling impunity for crimes against civilian populations, including sexual violence in conflict, and effective implementation of Security Council resolutions on women and peace and security and children in armed conflict.

Regional and sub-regional organisations have a vital role in stemming illegal trade in small arms and light weapons, which are responsible for countless civilian victims and damaged lives.

My delegation would like to point out in particular that the recently adopted Arms Trade Treaty expressly recognises that regional and sub-regional organisations can play a role in providing implementation assistance through, inter alia, stockpile management, DDR programmes, or developing model legislation.

In the last ten years, Lithuania provided assistance to some 20 projects related to the destruction of small arms, antipersonnel mines, cluster munitions and unexploded ordnance, carried out by regional organisations.

Let me also stress the importance of subregional, regional and international cooperation in the field of non-proliferation. To this effect, Lithuania organised last year a regional seminar on the implementation of Resolution 1540. This year, the Lithuanian chairmanship held a thematic OSCE Forum for Security Cooperation dialogue, with the participation of the Chair of 1540 Committee, Ambassador Kim Sook.

Madame President,

In order to achieve durable peace, it is essential that the UN and its regional partners continue to take a long-term view aimed at breaking the pattern of relapse into conflict that still plagues individual states.

In this context, we welcome consistent involvement by regional and sub-regional organizations in- and ownership of- institution and capacity building, implementing the rule of law, and strengthening good governance and human rights protection mechanisms.

In conclusion, Madame President, let me note that cooperation between the UN and regional organisations on matters of peace and security is not an end in itself. It must lead to tangible improvements and prospects for a safe and dignified live for those suffering from violence and conflict. I am pleased that today’s PRST reaffirms the common determination of the United Nations and regional actors to work to that effect.

I thank you, Madame President.