UN General Assembly
2005

lie in the “responsibility to protect” concept, which Ukraine fully endorses. We must not remain passive observers of genocide, crimes against humanity or gross and flagrant violations of human rights, as happened in 1932-1933 when Ukrainians experienced the great famine with devastating effects. The horrible memory of that man-made calamity lives on today in every Ukrainian family, including my own. Twenty thousand innocent souls a day, half a million a month, 10 million altogether were taken as part of the death toll of Stalin’s favoured ethnic policy. The Ukrainian Government will never tire until it makes the international community abandon hypocrisy and finally recognize that act of genocide against the Ukrainian nation. It was therefore in earnest and with much hope that Ukraine followed the deliberations on the new concept. Early warning, prevention and rapid response are key to ensuring the success and durability of our concerted action. An expert combination of diplomatic, political and assistance tools should suffice to avert future humanitarian disasters. But should such measures fail to stop atrocities, the Security Council