Tuerk Calls for Climate Change Agreement, Global Reform

New York, 24 September (STA) - Addressing the UN General Assembly meeting on Thursday, President Danilo Tuerk highlighted the need to reach an agreement on climate change, to reform the global financial system, restart global trade negotiations, protect human rights, reform the UN and enhance its role in guaranteeing peace and security, also in Afghanistan.

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“This, 64th session of the General Assembly is starting in the spirit of hope. Yesterday we heard important and promising words concerning the future of the UN. The peoples of the UN legitimately expect from us, representatives of member states, to make this institution effective and to work together, with the sense of common purpose, truly as United Nations,” Tuerk began his address in New York.

He soon addressed the main topic of the meeting, climate change, saying the December UN summit in Copenhagen needs to bring an agreement.

“Humankind must make a resolute step towards a new and effective system to mitigate the effects of global warming and to ensure the necessary adaptation. Our responsibilities are common but differentiated. Today we understand that each of the member states of the UN must do its share and that together we can save the planet. Let the Copenhagen conference be the turning point.”

According to Tuerk, the front needs to be broadened and fully include civil society and the business sector into a broad action for the needed technological and social transformation. He said “we will have to change the way we produce, the way we consume and the way we live”.

This will however require a comprehensive strategy that addresses all the main issues of today: the food crisis, climate change, the energy crisis and the spreading of infectious diseases, which may have different roots but produce a single, cumulative effect.

Turning to the financial crisis, Tuerk said a lot needed to be done to bring greater discipline and responsibility into the global financial system.

He added that the “restarting of global trade negotiations has become an urgent priority”. Also needed is an improvement of the official development assistance and a particular priority to development of Africa.

Not to be forgotten amid the economic turmoil are human rights. “The recession has already increased the global levels of poverty. Unemployment is growing. The fate of many young people is becoming ever more uncertain. All these are serious challenges to social and global stability that may turn into serious security problems of tomorrow if left unattended,” Tuerk pointed out.

He stressed that it is vital to secure that economic policies and human rights policies are coordinated and that appropriate mechanisms are put in place both at the national and international levels.

Tuerk highlighted Slovenia as the signatory of Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and as an active member of the UN Human Rights Council, which he wants to make more progress in the future.

Touching on international peace and security, Tuerk pointed to four important areas, the first being an urgent reform of the UN Security Council. Tuerk noted that he outlined a reform proposal from the very same rostrum a year ago and that “his and other specific proposals made in the past need to be approached headon”. He called for a strengthening of the practical role of the UN in in the maintenance of international peace and security. Special stress needs to be given to strengthening the operational capacity and political sophistication of the UN peacekeeping.

The third area concerns disarmament non proliferation and arms control, where “we witnessed far too many stumbling blocks in the past”. “UN action needs to be energised,” Tuerk said.

The president went on to emphasise that the UN remains an indispensable forum for political consultation and policy advice, with the experience of the UN being irreplaceable, also with respect to the situation in Afghanistan.

According to Tuerk, “there is no military solution to the variety country’s problems”. “It is becoming ever more apparent that the international community will have to assist in an Afghan process of transition which will decrease and eventually phase out the international military presence in the country,” he said, stressing the important role of past experience as well of the UN Security Council and the General Assembly.

Tuerk concluded by saying that the agenda of the UN today was heavy. “But this is not news. The UN has always been the home of the World’s most intractable problems. But at the same time, the UN has always represented the hope for and the promise of an improved World. Let us live up to this hope and promise. Let us make this the era of the UN and of the UN’s finest hour.”

On Thursday, President Türk gave this year’s Annual Emile Noël Lecture at the New York University. Dr. Danilo Türk, a distinguished professor of International Law and President of the Republic of Slovenia,presented his views on European Union.

Following the lecture, the President unvieled the sculpture “Abraham” of the Slovenian sculptur Bostjan Novak, which now adorns the Lipton Hall of the NYU School of Law.

State Department International Religious Freedom Report 2009 - Slovenia

The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion. The Government generally respected religious freedom in practice. There was no change in the status of respect for religious freedom by the Government during the reporting period.

Tuerk Calls for Climate Change Agreement, Global Reform

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