site.btaBulgarian Head of State Addresses UN General Assembly Session

September 26 (BTA) - Bulgarian President Rumen Radev
Thursday addressed the UN General Assembly during the General
Debate of its 74th Session.

"Today, more than ever, we need to stand for a rule-based
multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core," the
President said, quoted by his Press Secretariat.

He expressed his country's support for the creation of an
Alliance for Multilateralism, describing it as a "timely and
important initiative" launched by Germany and France "to foster
effective multilateral approaches to global issues through the
UN".

In Radev's words, the UN has a "unique array of tools for
mediation, conflict prevention, peacekeeping and peace
building", which is why Bulgaria welcomes Secretary-General
Antonio Guterres's commitment to advance diplomacy for peace and
 stands ready to support his efforts to strengthen the role of
mediation in conflict prevention, embodied in the Action for
Peacekeeping initiative.

The Bulgarian head of State noted that "international terrorism
and violent extremism continue to pose a significant threat to
international peace and security, human rights and sustainable
development." He called on the international community to beef
up efforts to strengthen counterterrorism cooperation by
supporting the UN as a key player. Radev deplored the
international community's inability to reach a breakthrough in
any major conflict around the world over the last year.

The Middle East

"The proclaimed military victory over the so-called ISIS
'Caliphate' last March was not enough to bring the war-torn
Middle East region closer to peace," the President noted,
calling on the international community to stay vigilant "as the
terrorist threat still exists in different forms".

He stressed that "finding a political solution to the conflict
in Syria is crucial for the stability and security of the region
 and beyond", arguing that a sustainable political solution
should be sought through the launch of a genuine Syrian-owned
political process under UN auspices, aimed at a peaceful and
inclusive political transition. Radev called for a nationwide
cessation of hostilities, for the protection of civilians, and
for ensuring humanitarian access to all parts of the country.
"Bulgaria highly appreciates the commitment of the neighboring
host countries to ease the suffering of the refugees," the
President said.

Arguing that there is no military solution to the crisis in
Libya, Radev pledged his country's continued support for the
relaunch of the UN-led mediation process and the preparation of
parliamentary and presidential elections. "The stabilization of
Libya is of utmost importance for regional security and for the
management of migration flows in the Mediterranean," he pointed
out.

Addressing the forum, the head of State reiterated Bulgaria's
support for all efforts aimed at resuming the
Israeli-Palestinian peace talks on the Middle East Peace
Process, including those of the Quartet. "A two-State solution
is the only way to sustainable peace," he argued. He insisted
that the UN and the international community should continue to
prioritize the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Radev voiced Bulgaria's "deep concern" over Iran's decision to
suspend the implementation of some of its commitments under the
Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action for its nuclear programme,
insisting that "the return to full compliance with the nuclear
deal and the further diplomatic outreach is the only
prerequisite for lowering tensions." In his opinion, Iran's
regional role and ballistic missile programme should be
addressed separately from the JCPoA.

Radev also called attention to the recent escalation of tensions
 in the Persian Gulf, noting that "an immediate priority should
be given to de-escalation measures aimed at avoiding further
incidents."

Ukraine, Non-proliferation, Western Balkans, Environment

The President called for a peaceful settlement of the "highly
precarious" situation in Eastern Ukraine in accordance with the
2014 UN General Assembly resolution. The exchange of detainees
is a sign of hope, but the parties to the conflict should
implement in full the mutually agreed Package of Measures and
abide by the ceasefire, including the withdrawal of heavy
weapons and granting unhindered access to the OSCE Special
Monitoring Mission to all sites, Radev said.

In connection with the 50th anniversary of the entry into force
of the Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2020, the Bulgarian leader
called on the international community to reconfirm the validity
of the Treaty as the cornerstone of the nuclear
non-proliferation regime.

Noting his country's consistent support for the Western Balkans'
 EU integration, Radev described the process leading to
accession as "an investment in stability". "Bulgaria puts a
special emphasis on the need for overcoming the legacies of the
past in this region by actively building good-neighborly
relations," he emphasized.

"The human race is facing rapidly developing detrimental
consequences of ever-growing overuse of natural resources and
massive urbanization. Some human activities result in
irreversible environmental pollution; in reducing biodiversity
and in threatening the fragile ecosystems," the President
pointed out, highlighting the "pressing need to accelerate the
pace of progress in achieving all Sustainable Development
Goals".

"As a member of the UN Human Rights Council, Bulgaria committed
to empowerment of children with disabilities through inclusive
education,"
Radev said, noting that the Bulgarian member of the new European
 Commission will be in charge of youth, education and
innovations, "which proves the importance we attach to these
priorities." LG

//