ASSEMBLY URGES INTENSIFIED UN SUPPORT FOR ACTIVITIES OF LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Press Release
GA/8997
ASSEMBLY URGES INTENSIFIED UN SUPPORT FOR ACTIVITIES OF LATIN AMERICAN ECONOMIC SYSTEM
19951115 The General Assembly urged the United Nations system to intensify support for the activities of the Latin American Economic System, by the terms of a resolution adopted without a vote this morning. In particular, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were urged to expand and deepen their activities with the regional System.Speaking in support of the resolution, the representative of Costa Rica said the cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American system should be even more extensive, with the United Nations doubling or even quadrupling its human and financial efforts. He understood that other regions had the same wish regarding assistance to them, and in the face of a rapidly changing world, there was an increasing need for cooperation between the United Nations system and regional and subregional bodies. Such claims and demands must continue to be heard, lest the United Nations lose its raison d'etre.
The resolution was introduced by the representative of Peru, and statements on cooperation with the Latin American Economic System were made by representatives of Panama, Venezuela, Argentina and Brazil.
The Assembly also heard from the final 13 speakers on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council. Speakers again focused on such issues as permanent membership for Japan and Germany, how to provide equitable geographic representation, and limiting the veto power.
The representative of Belarus said that new and current permanent members should bear a special political and financial responsibility for development as well as for maintaining international peace and security and that nomination for non-permanent seats should be based on interregional rotation and equitable geographic distribution.
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Concerning criteria for the selection of new permanent members, the representative of Viet Nam said it was necessary to take into account contributions to the United Nations system, population, and potential for playing a regional and global role.
The representative of Peru said the strengthening of the Council would not be achieved solely through the expansion of its membership, but through the nature of the decisions it adopted and the extent to which those conformed with law rather than with particular national interests.
Statements on the membership of the Security Council were also made by representatives of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Latvia, Russian Federation, United Republic of Tanzania, Namibia, Ethiopia, Cyprus, Botswana, Burundi and Bangladesh.
The representative of Egypt introduced a draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union. The representative of India said that the United Nations was the representative body of the executive wing of the governments of the States of the world, and the Inter-Parliamentary Union was the representative body of the legislative wing; thus there should be close cooperation between them.
The General Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue consideration of the question of cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this morning to continue its consideration of the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. The Assembly would also take up cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American Economic System (SELA); it had before it a report by the Secretary-General and a draft resolution on the matter.
The report of the Secretary-General (document A/50/438) emphasizes that cooperation between SELA and the United Nations is growing and diversifying, and that inter-agency cooperation has been established in many areas. Optimal use is being made of existing resources. The role of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) has covered a variety of areas. The ECLAC has helped to organize meetings of trade policy officials from the region as part of an effort to strengthen, expand and diversify trade relations in Latin America and the Caribbean.
The cooperation of United Nations programmes and agencies such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), International Labour Organisation (ILO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is detailed in the report. For example, the UNDP "Support to SELA" project aims to identify and improve mechanisms to facilitate economic links and industrial modernization among the SELA member countries. A series of studies and meetings has been carried out on trade and the environment, industrialization and technological development, and integration and regional cooperation.
The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and SELA are continuing their cooperation on a project on international trade and trade relations for Latin America and the Caribbean. Called LATINTRADE, it aims to strengthen the negotiating capacity of the Latin American and Caribbean countries so as to enable them to participate more effectively in trade agreements.
According to the terms of the draft resolution (document A/50/L.16), the Assembly would urge the United Nations system to intensify support for the activities of SELA. It would request the Secretary-General and the Permanent Secretary of SELA to assess and report on the implementation of the agreement to strengthen and expand cooperation between the two organizations. The Assembly would urge ECLAC to continue deepening its coordination and mutual support activities with SELA. The UNDP would be urged to expand its support to the programmes that the SELA secretariat is carrying out.
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The following are sponsors of the draft: Argentina, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela.
Statements on Security Council Membership
PAK GIL YON (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) said the Security Council's outdated structure and cold-war thinking had impeded the development of the United Nations. In expanding the membership of the Council, priority should be accorded to developing countries and the principle of equal regional distribution. As no agreement had been reached on permanent membership, it was reasonable to achieve consensus on increasing the number of non-permanent members. He proposed adding 11 non-permanent seats, which would increase the membership to 26 seats, and ensuring seven seats for Asia, Africa, East and West Europe respectively and five seats for Latin America and the Caribbean region. "A country like Japan, which has neither reflected in a sincere manner upon nor intended to liquidate her past crimes committed against other countries, is not entitled to become a permanent member of the Security Council", he said.
He said the power and authority of the Council should be curtailed and that of the Assembly increased. Decisions on the use of sanction or force should require approval by more than two thirds of the Assembly membership. A ban on immediate re-election of non-permanent members should be maintained. "Another point is to abrogate the veto rights of the permanent members of the Security Council." He also viewed positively the proposal to either limit or diminish the scope and use of the veto.
ULDIS BLUKIS (Latvia) said the movement towards greater transparency and improvement of working methods must continue in order to maintain and, perhaps, even improve, the effectiveness of the Council. The Member States had a collective responsibility to explore whether the current partial agreement -- that the Security Council had to be expanded -- could be a starting point for reaching a consensus on a long-term, multi-stage procedure for expanding and changing the Council's composition. The process of reaching consensus on that first stage, of expanding the Council, would be aided if the Member States did not at the same time have to make irreversible commitments on the two controversial issues: the composition of the Council and the use of the veto.
A modest increase in the size of the Council, he said, would be a positive response to the substantial increase in United Nations membership since 1965. It would mean improved compliance with the principle of equitable geographic distribution. Another desirable consequence would be the strengthening of the global decision-making role of small States and developing countries.
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VASILIY SIDOROV (Russian Federation) said the reform of the Security Council was part and parcel of making the United Nations more contemporary. In recent years, the Council had undertaken a series of successful peace- keeping operations, with positive contributions by its members.
His country recognized the need for a limited expansion of the Security Council, he said. The number of its members should ideally be increased to 20. The interests of all regions must be recognized. Russia supported the proposals of a number of countries vis-a-vis the criteria for membership in the Council. It supported the idea of a relationship between the rights and responsibilities of countries in the Organization. In recent years, substantial efforts had been made by the Security Council to make itself more transparent, and the President of the Council had become more accessible to Members of the United Nations. Those efforts must continue. However, there should be no haste in the reform process, for consensus was of paramount importance. His country appreciated the activities of the working group and supported its recommendations.
MARWA M. MATIKO (United Republic of Tanzania) said that increasing the size of the Council was one of the most obvious ways of ensuring that more of the membership of the United Nations was equitably represented in the Council. However, increased membership should go hand-in-hand with increased representation of interests, especially of those countries which had so far not been well represented in the Council.
Over the years, it had become clear that the Security Council seldom paid attention to the views of the Member States outside the Council, he said. Therefore, greater transparency was required. Also, the Council must regularly report to and consult with the General Assembly. The United Republic of Tanzania did not support the veto power and wanted it abolished, he added.
TUNGURU HUARAKA (Namibia) said his country associated itself with the statement by the Chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement. It believed that reform of the Council ought to address the question of underrepresentation of Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean and Asia in that body. The veto ought to be abolished because its conceptual basis was no longer relevant.
The ongoing consideration of the question in the working group should be narrowly focused, he said. Equitable geographic representation, transparency, democratization and the sovereign equality of States must be central to reform.
MULUGETA ETEFFA (Ethiopia) said that running through the various arguments presented had been a recognition of the urgent need to expand and reform the Council. On the question of how to do it, the international community had agreed to disagree, and the discussions should continue with renewed vigour. In the meantime, the Council should aim for greater
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transparency and accountability. An increased membership of the Council must reflect the geographic and demographic configuration of the world. "The principles of reform and change in the Security Council must reflect global demands and expectations for inclusiveness and democracy", he said.
He said his country was prepared to discuss any proposal on criteria for new members, while maintaining the criterion of equitable geographic representation. He believed in greater involvement of non-Council members in Council affairs and improved coordination and consultation between the Council and the Assembly. Cooperation between the Council and regional organizations was one of the most important issues that reform was expected to address. The experience of the past few years indicated that regional and subregional arrangements could serve as reliable and effective partners in the maintenance of international peace and security.
HOANG THI CU (Viet Nam) said the reform and expansion of the Security Council should take into account the principles of sovereign equality of States and equitable geographic distribution as well as the need for transparency, accountability and democratization in the working methods of the Council. Viet Nam shared the view expressed by many non-aligned and developing countries that it was essential to substantially increase the proportion of the members of the Council belonging to the Non-Aligned Movement. Concerning criteria for the selection of new permanent members, it was necessary to take into account contributions to the United Nations system, population, and potential for playing a regional and global role, among other things.
NICOS AGATHOCLEOUS (Cyprus) said the future credibility of the United Nations would continue to be judged to a large extent by its role in maintaining international peace and security. He supported enlargement of the Council based on equitable geographic criteria and in accord with the criteria elaborated in Article 23 of the Charter. Change and reform must enhance the credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness of the Council.
He said his delegation had in the past suggested that adequate mechanisms and procedures should be set up to ensure compliance with mandatory Security Council decisions. Additionally, there was an expression of justifiable concern regarding the use of the veto. "My delegation believes that reform of the Security Council and change in its composition will be of no avail if: we are not clear as to the proper functioning of the Security Council and the other related organs of the United Nations and their interrelationships; If we do not have adequate machinery for the implementation of its decisions; If we do not have an adequate and acceptable system of peace-keeping and pacific settlement of disputes."
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ALYAKSANDR SYCHOU (Belarus) said his country's approach to the Security Council was based on the following elements: enlargement of the Council should proceed with respect to both permanent and non-permanent members; new and current permanent members should bear a special political and financial responsibility for social and economic development as well as maintaining international peace and security; any increase in the permanent membership should not affect the chances of other States to be elected as non-permanent members; additional non-permanent seats should be allocated for each of the existing regional groups, including Eastern Europe; nomination for non- permanent seats should be based on interregional rotation and equitable geographic distribution; the two membership categories should be preserved; the veto power should not be extended to new permanent members; and reform of the Council should promote better Council relations with Member States, and enhance transparency and efficiency of its working methods, including democratization of its proceedings.
LEGWAILA J.M.J. LEGWAILA (Botswana) said the reduction and the ultimate elimination of the privileges enjoyed by some States should be the starting point in any debate on reform of the Security Council. The addition of new permanent members would not make the Council more democratic than it was today. The power of veto had been abused very often. Therefore, any reform that did not address the privileges enjoyed by a few members or which sought to perpetuate the status quo was unacceptable.
Botswana insisted on transparency, he said. "Those who are elected to the Council are not elected to go into hiding, making decisions which bind all of us behind closed doors", he said.
NSANZE TERENCE (Burundi) said that because of Japan's and Germany's productive cooperation with his country and because they had the qualifications necessary to enter the club of permanent members of the Security Council, those countries had the right to count on the support of Burundi. Many countries had championed criteria that promoted their candidacies for membership in that club -- criteria such as population and material, financial or military contributions. But such things were subject to change, whereas continents were unchanging. Therefore, there was an argument for allocating permanent Council seats to each continent. It would only remain to decide whether the number of seats should be equally allocated to each region or should vary based on quantitative differences between the regions.
As regarded Africa, there was a strange paradox, he said. Africa was the scene of most of the world's conflicts, was setting world records for poverty, suffered from a succession of natural and human disasters, and had more refugees than any other continent. Yet, it was the only continent excluded from permanent representation on the Security Council. The five great Powers of the Council claimed they were entitled to their privileges because of the role they had played in the Second World War, but Africa had
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also played a decisive role in that conflict. For example, its armies' valour had been praised by General Charles de Gaulle; it had been the granary and milk cow for many armies, and it had provided the uranium for the coup de grace which ended the war.
FERNANDO GUILLEN (Peru) said the working group was at a turning point. An overly prolonged debate without decisions would erode its credibility. Peru was convinced that the strengthening of the Council would not be achieved solely through the expansion of its membership, but through the nature of the decisions it adopted and the extent to which those conformed with law rather than with particular national interests.
Both existing categories of members should be expanded, he said. Japan and Germany should become permanent members in view of the global scope of their responsibilities and influence. The existing ratio between the present categories should be preserved and it was imperative to ensure proper representation for developing countries. His country concurred with the final goal of eliminating the veto and was receptive to modalities designed to limit or qualify its use.
REZAUL KARIM (Bangladesh) said the consensual approach was the best way to progress towards the goal of a Council that was attuned and responsive to today's needs, realities and responsibilities. Considerable agreement had already been expressed on the need for closer interaction between the Council and the Assembly, greater transparency and consultations, briefings by the Council President and greater involvement of troop-contributing countries. There was also a clear consensus on the need to enlarge the Council and make it more representative of the membership. Differences existed on the exact size and the categories of membership to be expanded.
He said his delegation was prepared to look at all proposals with an open mind. However, two points were to be stressed. One was that the concept of the sovereign equality of States should be the guiding principle of reform and restructuring. Secondly, the smaller and more vulnerable States had the greatest stakes in an effective Security Council and most depended on it. Their interests must be taken into account. On the veto, he said its use should be defined or circumscribed by clear principles and criteria.
Cooperation with Latin American Economic System
Mr. GUILLEN (Peru) introduced the draft resolution on cooperation between the United Nations and the Latin American Economic System (SELA).
JORGE E. ILLUECA (Panama) reaffirmed his country's commitment to SELA. That organization, he said, continued to serve the objectives of the Panama agreement, which included promotion of integration and regional cooperation and of a permanent system of consultation and coordination aimed at the adoption of common positive strategies on economic and social themes. SELA
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also played a special role in the area of technical cooperation with developing countries. Panama attached special importance to achieving intensified support by the UNDP for SELA's technical assistance activities.
OSCAR DE ROJAS (Venezuela) hoped the resolution would be adopted by consensus. As indicated in the report of the Secretary-General, he said, cooperation between the United Nations and SELA had been extremely constructive and dynamic. Cooperation had also expanded into new areas such as development, the environment, and managerial and administrative issues.
He said SELA had also increasingly become an important tool in the negotiations on the international economic agenda and helped to ensure that the region was included in the new agenda. It further provided countries of the region with a forum for addressing many of the topics dealt with by the United Nations.
CARLOS SERSALE DI CERISANO (Argentina) said his country attached special importance to regional consultation and SELA was an important tool in such consultation.
Since it had been established, the Latin American Economic System had proved useful to the work of the Assembly's Second Committee, he said. Urging adoption of the draft resolution, he said the time had come to further strengthen the relations between the two organizations.
FERNANDO BERROCAL SOTO (Costa Rica) said he fully supported the draft resolution and wished to see even greater and more extensive cooperation between the United Nations and SELA, with the United Nations doubling or even quadrupling its human and financial efforts in line with its obligations under the Charter. He understood that other regions had the same wish regarding assistance to them. There was an increasing need for cooperation between the United Nations system and regional and subregional bodies. There should be South-South cooperation as well as cooperation with the developed North. Such claims and demands must continue to be heard, or the United Nations would lose its raison d'etre.
SERGIO AUGUSTO DE ABREU E LIMA FLORENCIO (Brazil) said he attached great importance to the work of SELA. Its cooperation had not been limited to the circulation of documents under discussion in the United Nations. It had contributed to the deliberations. He fully supported the draft resolution before the Assembly.
Cooperation with Inter-Parliamentary Union
NABIL ELARABY (Egypt) introduced a draft resolution regarding cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union (document A/50/L.20). By that draft, the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to take the necessary steps to conclude an agreement on
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cooperation between the two organizations which should make provisions for consultations, appropriate representation and cooperation, and to report to the Assembly at its fifty-first session.
The draft resolution was sponsored by Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Denmark, Djibouti, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, Germany, Greece, Guyana, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Morocco, Norway, Peru, Poland, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Senegal, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zambia.
NAJMA HEPTULLA (India) said it was 107 years since the establishment of the Inter-Parliamentary Union and its relationship with the United Nations dated back to the establishment of the world Organization. Whereas the United Nations was an organization of the Member States giving voice and forum to the intergovernmental process, the Inter-Parliamentary Union represented the divergent will of the people of the world through their representatives in the national parliaments. A cooperative relationship between the Union and the United Nations had to be formalized so that the intergovernmental process could benefit from the experience of the elected representatives of the people.
India joined in co-sponsoring the resolution before the Assembly, she said. The relationship between the two organizations would contribute to the reform, democratization, strengthening and revitalization of the United Nations itself. The Union supported the activities of the United Nations in maintaining peace and combating arms traffic, narcotics and environmental degradation. The United Nations was the representative body of the executive wing of the governments of the States of the world. The Inter-Parliamentary Union was the representative body of the legislative wing of the States of the world. As in any successful State, both the executive and the legislative wings had to work in close cooperation.
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