UN General Assembly
2011

At the outset, allow me to convey my sincere congratulations to the President on his election to the presidency of the General Assembly at its sixty-sixth session. I wish him every success in his endeavours and assure him of the Romanian delegation’s full support. Clearly, the theme chosen for this year’s general debate, “The role of mediation in the settlement of disputes by peaceful means”, is both wise and topical. Romania has a strong interest in the topic, given our long tradition of mediation, as well as the number of unresolved conflicts in our region. Some conflicts have persisted for years and even decades and remain unresolved. Other conflicts have erupted suddenly, scotching the hopes for a brighter future and for the development of entire regions. In the current security environment, mediation and conflict prevention instruments are highly important, yet under-utilized. A strengthened legal foundation for mediation and strengthened mediation activities of the United Nations and regional and subregional organizations are necessary, as well as the increased involvement of Member States in mediation efforts.