BRAMA, September 12, 2000, 2:00pm EDT

Volodymyr Yelchenko, Ambassador of Ukraine to the United Nations (left), and Ivan Plyusch, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, enter the General Assembly building on the morning of August 31, 2000. I. Plyusch posing with Dumitru Diacov, President of the Parliament of the Republic of Moldova. In the background, a kilim and decorated urn: Ukraine's gifts to the United Nations.

New York, UN (Aug. 31) - The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) held its Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments at Headquarters from 30 August to 1 September, 2000. The purpose of the Conference was to bring "a parliamentary dimension" to the United Nations according to Najma Heptulla, President of the Conference. More than 900 participants attended the Conference, which has been described as an historic event. They represented 141 countries and included 152 parliamentary Speakers and 412 Members of Parliament and delegates. The Conference was timed to precede the Millennium Summit session of the United Nations General Assembly. The head of Ukraine's VR Ivan Plyusch addressed the parliamentarian delegates in the General Assembly on August 31, 2000. The English translation of his speech which was read in Ukrainian is included below. Sep 6 00 - Report from Ukraine's Permanent Mission to the UN (CP1251) Конференція Голів національних парламентів країн-членів Міжпарламентського Союзу Statement by the Honourable Ivan Plyusch, Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine at the IPU Conference of Presiding Officers of National Parliaments "The parliamentary vision for international cooperation at the dawn of the third millenium" 31 August 2000 New York Distinguished Mr. Chairman, Distinguished Delegates of the Conference, Ladies and gentlemen, First of all, I would like to extend my thanks to the organizers of the Conference for the opportunity to take part in the discussion of this extremely important issue. The globalization of world processes makes us search for new ways of cooperation. We can only do that through joint effort. Ukraine is prepared for this cooperation since our nation has set its course on democracy and progress. Parliaments are called upon to be - above all - trailblazers on the road toward democracy, rule of law, international interaction and stronger accord among the nations. These principles are paramount in the activities of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. They also guided the founding members of the United Nations, among which was Ukraine. History disposed so that the Ukrainian nation, one of the oldest in Europe, was destined to make repeated attempts for instituting its statehood. The independence, attained in 1991, has turned a new page in the history of our people. Today Ukraine is at the stage of formation of modern democratic traditions and aspires to become integral part of the united Europe. Proceeding from Ukraine's strategic course toward European integration, the Verkhovna Rada places emphasis on its contacts with the parliaments of the EU member states - to ensure harmonization of national legislation with international and European standards, develop and strengthen democratic institutions in the country, respect for human rights and combat crime. Ukraine's fulfillment of its obligations and commitments before the Council of Europe has become a convincing testimony of our dedication to universal European principles and values. One of the major objectives of Ukraine's foreign policy is to ensure its involvement in building a new system of European security through cooperation with the parliamentary components of NATO and the Western European Union. At the regional level, we seek to consolidate relations with the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC) and the Inter-Parliamentary Assembly of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) - that have emerged in the post-Soviet space. We fully support the idea of a closer cooperation between the Inter-Parliamentary Union and the UN, aiming to promote the sustainable development and social progress of the world community, as well as to integrate the efforts of parliaments in addressing the main challenges facing the mankind at the dawn of the third millenium. We have gathered on the hospitable American soil, at the United Nations Headquarters, on the eve of the UN Millenium Summit and Assembly. With a view to highlighting the role of this notable event and the prestige of the Organization, President of Ukraine Mr. Leonid Kuchma has launched an initiative to hold, within the framework of the Summit, a Special Meeting of the UN Security Council at the level of heads of states and governmentas. I am confident that the Meeting will help to enhance the integrating potential of the UN. Dear colleagues, Ladies and gentlemen, Entering the Third Millenium, we aspire to live in a new, more perfect and just world, based on international peace and security, democracy and respect for human rights. It is worth to work, to join our efforts and to live in order to achieve this high objective. Thank you for your attention.

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