S/PV.3943 Security Council

I should like to inform the Council that I have received a letter from the representative of Tajikistan, in which he requests to be invited to participate in the discussion of the item on the Council’s agenda. In conformity with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite that representative to participate in the discussion, without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council’s provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided.

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations. Members of the Council have before them the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in Tajikistan, document S/1998/1029. Members of the Council also have before them document S/1998/1063, which contains the text of a draft resolution prepared in the course of the Council’s prior consultations. I should like to draw the attention of the members of the Council to document S/1998/1034, which contains the text of a letter dated 4 November 1998 from the Permanent Representative of Tajikistan to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General. I give the floor to the representative of Tajikistan.

It is a great honour for me to speak at today’s Security Council meeting devoted to consideration of the question of First of all, I should like to express our sincere gratitude to the United Nations for its unfailing support of the efforts of the Government of Tajikistan to overcome the consequences of the armed conflict and to return the country to the path of civilized development, which is fully in keeping with the historically proven and recognized interests of the Tajik people. We are also grateful to the entire international community for rendering invaluable assistance to Tajikistan at the critical stage of the formation of its statehood and of the foundations for the normal functioning of civilian society. The ongoing assistance from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, which together with the United Nations are coordinating the efforts of the international community of donors, has already yielded positive results in Tajikistan and, most importantly, gives us hope for a gradual and full restoration of the basis of the activities of daily life of the population of our country, a basis which has been destroyed by many years of conflict. We would particularly like to take note of the efforts of Russia, Iran and other members of the Contact Group of Guarantor States of the General Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and National Accord in Tajikistan, signed in June last year in Moscow, to assist the progressive development of the peace process in our country. We note with satisfaction the contribution to stabilizing of the situation in Tajikistan that is being made by the military personnel of the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States and the Russian border forces. We see the activity of UNMOT and the staff members of other international and non-governmental organizations as a specific demonstration of the desire of the entire international community to render assistance to the peace process in Tajikistan. We are deeply distressed at the murder in July of this year of four staff members of the United Nations We share the basic assessments and conclusions of the report of the Secretary-General regarding the situation in Tajikistan, and we note their objectivity and realism. The peace process, and the gradual involvement in it of the entire people of Tajikistan, is slowly but surely gaining momentum. There is no need here to enumerate the obvious achievements reached during the course of implementation of the General Agreement. At the same time, I can state with full responsibility that the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan is fully aware that a great deal remains to be done, jointly with the leadership of the United Tajik Opposition, to resolve existing difficulties and to achieve the goals stated in the General Agreement. The regular and fruitful contacts between the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, Mr. Emomali Rakhmonov, and the Chairman of the Commission on National Reconciliation, Mr. Abdullo Nuri, are unquestionably the key to overcoming existing and possible future difficulties on the complex path to national reconciliation. The dedication to the peace process of both parties to the General Agreement and of the entire Tajik people was severely tested during the recent hostilities, which erupted as a result of the attempt made by an armed group of rebels in northern Tajikistan to seize power by force. Homes and administrative buildings were destroyed, there was considerable loss of life, particularly among the civilian population, and people’s lives were ruined. All of this is typical of the anti-popular nature of the rebels and their leaders, who enjoyed the external support of those who wish to disrupt the Tajiks’ constructive rhythm of life and to strike a treacherous blow to the consolidation process of Tajik society. In this connection, President Emomali Rakhmonov of Tajikistan has resolutely embarked on a course of protecting the unity and territorial integrity of the country We are grateful to the Security Council, the Secretary-General and the States members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) — Russia first and foremost — for their timely and clear political assessment of the rebels’ subversive and destabilizing activities and for their determined and unequivocal moral support for the Government and people of Tajikistan in this very difficult time. We are counting on continued cooperation with our partners in the CIS in order to ensure Tajikistan’s security and to prevent any new attempt by destructive forces to strike a blow against the process of national reconciliation. We consider the new draft resolution on Tajikistan before the Security Council today to be a reaffirmation of the Council’s unswerving support for the peace process in the country. We announce our firm intention to do all in our power to implement its provisions relating to the Government of Tajikistan.

It is my understanding that the Security Council is ready to proceed to the vote on the draft resolution (S/1998/1063) before it. If I hear no objection, I shall put the draft resolution to the vote now. There being no objection, it is so decided.

There were 15 votes in favour. The draft resolution has been adopted unanimously as resolution 1206 (1998). There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda.