Human rights a precondition for peace; dialogue ‘only way’ to make it sustainable, Montenegro tells UN
20 September 2017 – Reiterating Montenegro’s strong commitment to multilateral cooperation, President Filip Vujanović told the Assembly today that his country puts good neighbourly relations and regional cooperation in the Balkans at the top of its foreign policy agenda.
He noted the region’s success in dialogue and cooperation as the only way to achieve sustainable peace, announcing that early next year Montenegro would organize a regional conference to help in defining new mechanisms for conflict prevention and resolution.
Montenegro unequivocally supports nuclear non-proliferation, he said, calling the Non-Proliferation Treaty “a foundation for improvement of the global stability.” The country “strongly condemns nuclear weapons tests conducted by North Korea as an act that violates international obligations […] and poses a serious threat to global peace and security.”
Stressing that respect for human rights is a precondition for peace, stability and development, the President said his country attaches special attention to: strengthening the position and role of women in society and prevention of violence against women; child protection and development; fight against discrimination of LGBTI [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex] population and persons with disabilities.
Turning to humanitarian assistance, which is much needed for civilians in conflicts and natural disasters, Mr. Vujanović said Montenegro has invested significant efforts to ensure appropriate legislative and strategic framework for financing international development cooperation and humanitarian assistance.