STATEMENT BY VALERIY KUCHYNSKY
AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE
OF UKRAINE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

February 18, 2003

Mr. President,

More than a half century ago, speaking about the efforts to achieve peace during World War II, Sir Winston Churchill said (and I quote)

"Vast and fearsome as the human scene has become, personal contacts of the right people, in the right places, at the right time, may yet have a potent and valuable part to play in the cause of peace which is in our hearts".

A few days ago thousands of people as a vast and fearsome ocean gathered here at the United Nations calling it the right place for the right and adequate decision to be taken in order to preserve the peace.

On behalf of the Ukrainian delegation, I wish to join those, who believe that the right people, gathered today in the Security Council, will find the right solution to the critical issue on our agenda, and I express, Mr. President, our full support for your strenuous efforts to lead the Council towards this goal.

Mr. President,

Ukraine is extremely concerned about the situation around Iraq. We understand, that there may exist serious grounds to suspect Iraq in concealing its weapons of mass destruction. The position of Ukraine is well-known and clear: Iraq must fulfill all its obligations under respective UN Security Council resolutions, the resolution 1441 (2002) including.

Ukraine welcomes the outcome of the inspections and report presented to the Security Council on February 14 by the Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC and Director General of the IAEA as well as the move by the United States to provide the United Nations with additional information.

It is imperative that the United Nations inspectors continue their work to be able to clarify the unresolved questions of disarmament of Iraq. The questions still remain.

I would like to express to Mr.Hans Blix and Mr.Mohamed ElBaradei Ukraine's confidence in their mission and our full support. We have already demonstrated it through the work of the Ukrainian experts in UNMOVIC. We consider the inspection and monitoring mechanisms to be the best way to detect, destroy and verify the elimination of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

It is perfectly clear that the work of UNMOVIC and the IAEA can be effective only with full cooperation in good faith on the part of Iraq. We call upon Iraqi authorities to translate concretely and urgently their declared commitments into active cooperation and collaboration with the inspection process, as provided for in resolution 1441 (2002). We urge Iraq to adopt a more proactive approach, to make further explanations and clarification on the issues raised by Executive Chairman of UNMOVIC, Director General of the IAEA and the US Secretary of State and, ultimately, to disarm in compliance with the Security Council resolutions.

Mr. President,

The Security Council has a common stand on the issue of elimination of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Ukraine's position has been unequivocally aimed at achieving the disarmament of Iraq in the most effective way possible while ensuring at all times that this goal is achieved at the lowest cost in terms of human suffering. Under the present circumstances it is of critical importance to make further steps towards achieving the unity of the Council on this issue, without undermining the ongoing battle against international terrorism and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Mr. President,

We are entering a crucial stage in the consideration of the Iraqi issue. Ukrainian delegation believes that the option of political and diplomatic solution to the question of Iraq has not been fully exhausted and it can still provide effective results. As long as there is the slightest hope for peaceful settlement, we should exert our utmost efforts to achieve it. Ukraine, on its part, is ready to make a further practical contribution to the international efforts aimed at achieving successful settlement of the Iraqi crisis and at ensuring international security.

As the world is pinning its hopes on the United Nations and the Security Council in taking the decision, we have to weigh all pros and cons, consider what lies ahead not only in the forthcoming weeks and months but in years. We must make sure that our decision is guided by wisdom and responsibility.

War is the last and the worst resort, and I cannot but agree with one of the speakers who said here earlier (I quote): "the war is always the sanction of failure".

What the world needs today most is peace. Let us stay united and work tirelessly for it. Let us give peace yet another chance.

Thank you, Mr. President.