SECURE FINANCING, BETTER CONSULTATION IN AREA OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS URGED; EXPANSION OF COMMITTEE WELCOMED
Press Release
GA/SPD/97
SECURE FINANCING, BETTER CONSULTATION IN AREA OF PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS URGED; EXPANSION OF COMMITTEE WELCOMED
19961118 Fourth Committee Debate Continues; Ghana Warns Against 'Creeping Privatization' in Hiring of Military Staff on Loan from Member StatesExpanding the membership of the Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations, securing the financing of peace-keeping staff, and improving consultation between the Security Council and troop-contributing countries were among issues addressed this afternoon, as the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) continued its consideration of peace-keeping matters.
The increased dependency of the Department of Peace-keeping Operations (DPKO) on "loaned personnel" had reached alarming proportions, said the representative of Malaysia. As of 30 September, fully 114 out of 133 military personnel in the Department were loaned personnel.
The representative of Mexico said that, despite the benefits of staffing the Department with loaned officers, that practice violated the stipulations in the Charter. He called for applying established norms for hiring of international staff.
The representative of the Republic of Korea welcomed the newly established consultative process between troop-contributing countries and the Security Council and Secretariat. For Member States unable to provide personnel gratis for the rapidly deployable mission headquarters, a trust fund should cover personnel costs.
The representative of Ghana supported a transparent, rapidly deployable operational headquarters team, to prevent it becoming "the exclusive club of the rich". Its staff should reflect the principle of equitable geographical representation. "Creeping privatization" of the Organization by the preponderance of loaned military staff countered its spirit of independence.
The representative of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia stressed that peace-keeping operations must respect sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-intervention in matters essentially within the domestic jurisdiction
of States. He said the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) was critical for maintaining peace and security in the Balkans region.
Also speaking this afternoon were the representatives of Libya, Pakistan, Ukraine, Venezuela, Nigeria, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Japan, Myanmar, Mozambique, Philippines, Algeria, Ethiopia, Chile, and the representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).
The Committee will meet again at 10 a.m., Tuesday, 19 November, to continue its consideration of peace-keeping matters.
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Committee Work Programme
The Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this afternoon to continue its consideration of peace-keeping operations in all their aspects. (For further information, see Press Release GA/SPD/96 of 18 November.)
Statements
ABDULLAH AHMAD (Malaysia) said peace-keeping was only one of a number of options for resolving conflicts. Although the United Nations had of late been compelled to mount an increasing number of peace-keeping operations, peace- keeping was not a final solution. It was essentially a measure of last resort.
He said Member States owed the United Nations a total of $2.1 billion in current and back-dated peace-keeping dues. That financial situation could deter countries, particularly developing countries, from participating in future operations. Therefore pending claims should be settled as a matter of high priority.
He said the increased dependency on "loaned personnel" had reached alarming proportions. As of 30 September, out of 133 military personnel in Department of Peace-keeping Operations (DPKO), fully 114 were loaned personnel. Recruitment to the Department should be guided by the principle of equitable geographical representation. He welcomed the Secretariat's efforts to develop a system of standby arrangements.
He said he shared the concern of many over the length of time taken to deploy peace-keeping operations after the establishment of mandates by the Security Council. He therefore supported the setting up of the rapidly deployable mission headquarters. More than time, it could save lives. However, in supporting the concept, the Non-Aligned Movement had also voiced concern about the methods of staffing and funding the body. He supported setting up a trust fund for the rapid deployment unit and hoped the principle of equitable geographical distribution would receive the attention it deserved.
RAMADAN BARQ (Libya) said the responsibility of the United Nations in peace and security was increasingly important for seeking ways and means of containing international conflicts. Peace-keeping operations should be conducted in a manner commensurate with the principles and objectives of the Organization, particularly since some operations could be interpreted as interference in the internal affairs of States, unless all parties to a conflict agreed to those operations. There was a certain apprehension of exploitation of the United Nations.
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It was important for countries to cooperate, regardless of the narrow interests of parties, and he encouraged settlement of conflicts, especially in Africa. He said that would alleviate the suffering there and limit the need to deploy international forces. It was important that regional organizations be provided necessary political and material support to participate in settling conflicts in their areas.
Peace-keeping was not the only way to deal with conflicts, he said. It should be the last after all others were attempted. He supported expansion of the Special Committee's membership.
PABLO MACEDO (Mexico) said that as a founding member of the Special Committee on Peace-keeping Operations, his country was in favour of expanding the membership. The international community had witnessed sad failures when it had attempted to impose diplomatic, political or military solutions. Peace could not be imposed. It was dependent on the will of the parties, and therefore their participation in peace-keeping operations was essential. Those operations also required a specific and clear mandate designed in advance. At no point could such forces be used in internal conflicts, or act without the express consent of all parties. Sovereignty of States was a hard and fast principle.
He said that Chapter VII of the Charter ("Action with Respect to Threats to the Peace, Breaches of the Peace, and Acts of Aggression") should not be subject to whimsical interpretations. It was a final recourse to be used only when all other options in the Charter were exhausted. He expressed concern about the excessive use of Chapter VII, which reflected incompetence and lack of imagination. It did not strengthen the Organization.
On the matter of staffing the Department, he noted the inordinate proportion of loaned officers. While the benefit such officials could bring to the Organization was not questioned, the situation nonetheless violated the stipulations in the Charter. He therefore appealed to the Committee to ensure the use of established norms for hiring international staff.
AHMAD KAMAL (Pakistan) associated himself with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement by Thailand. He supported efforts to strengthen the Organization's role in preserving international peace and security. He noted that Pakistan was the largest troop-contributor to United Nations peace-keeping.
He said that preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and post-conflict peace- building were the cornerstones of the Organization's peace efforts. The Organization should evolve early warning mechanisms, and act before the outbreak of conflict, rather than intervening once conflict had erupted. Effective peace-keeping operations were possible only with clear political directions, precise mandates, effective command and control structures, and
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well-defined rules of engagement. Mandates should not be altered, and the Security Council must remain seized during all stages of the operation. The Secretariat should ensure smooth transition from preventive diplomacy to peace-keeping.
Stand-by forces must enable developing countries to participate with a full compliment of requisite weapons systems, he continued. Arrangements for rapid deployment must be discussed in a transparent manner. The DPKO must abide by the principle of geographical representation in its staffing structure. Representation should be in accordance with troop contributions in the field. Assessed contributions must be paid in full, and there should be uniformity in scale of death and disability compensation. "The value placed on the death or injury of United Nations peace-keepers cannot depend on the part of the world or place from where they come", he said.
A solution to the problem of financial shortages must be found within the Organization's principles, based on multilateralism and collective security. He said that during the Special Committee's previous sessions, an overwhelming majority of the Member States had expressed concern about the use of loaned officers and had called for a thorough review and reversal of the practice. The Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary) had taken a very serious view of the practice, and of the casual response to its queries by the concerned parties. Effective planning, budgeting and administration of peace- keeping operations was necessary.
ANATOLIY T. OLIYNYK (Ukraine) said that in regional approaches to peace- keeping activities should be based on Chapter VII of the Charter. They must comply strictly with the principle that no State may arrogate to itself the right to claim status as the "main guarantor" of regional peace and security. A declaration on the main principles of conducting peace-keeping operation was important to strengthen the legal basis of activities in this area.
He said his country had contributed to numerous peace-keeping operation. He supported strengthening standby arrangements. The rapidly deployable mission headquarters would be an important complement to those arrangements.
He said that the safety of United Nations personnel should be integral to any peace-keeping mandate. He noted that since September 1995, 56 peace- keepers had lost their lives. The adoption of draft resolution A/C.4/51/L.10 would serve as a "political message" favouring the adoption of the convention of the safety of peace-keeping and associated personnel. He said he supported expanding the membership of the Special Committee on Peace-Keeping, and welcomed the institutionalization of the consultative process between the Security Council and troop-contributing countries.
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PARK SOO GIL (Republic of Korea) said although the number of United Nations peace-keepers had declined over the past year, the importance and complexity of the task had not diminished. The nature of the post-cold- war period required that United Nations peace-keeping operations be equipped for a wide range of capabilities to meet military, political, and humanitarian challenges. He encouraged the Secretariat to continue to refine the peace- keeping machinery. It was important to distinguish clearly between peace- keeping and peace-enforcement. All operations must strictly observe the principles of impartiality, consent of the parties, and the non-use of force except in self-defense.
He said he welcomed the newly established consultative process between troop-contributing countries and the Security Council and Secretariat. He also welcomed the Secretary-General's proposal for the rapidly-deployable mission, and regarded the proposal as an effective complement to the existing standby arrangements system. He welcomed the proposal for a trust fund to cover the personnel costs for Member States unable to provide personnel gratis. He supported the recommendation of the Special Committee to expand its membership.
JOSE ACOSTA (Venezuela) said the Organization had experienced both successes and failures in the area of peace-keeping. Weighing those experiences might assist the international community in establishing the tools necessary to make peace-keeping effective for solving conflicts. Peace- keeping operations must be implemented with the cooperation of the States concerned in accordance with the principle of Sovereignty of States, and on the basis of impartiality. Peace-keeping operations must aim to create an environment conducive to negotiations. It would be inappropriate to involve peace-keeping operations in tasks that fell under mandates of other Organizational bodies.
He said the coercive measures provided in Chapter VII should not be applied indiscriminately. The United Nations must make efforts to enhance the participation of Governments and authorities in peace-keeping operations. There was need for a general uniform programme for training. Greater understanding and consistent training would strengthen cooperation by Member States and stimulate the creation of standby forces in each country.
On the rapidly deployable mission headquarters unit, he said its establishment should be looked at from a comprehensive perspective. Designing the unit was a complex matter, and required the consent of all Member States. He supported making the Special Committee open-ended. Financing peace-keeping operations was a collective responsibility incumbent on all States.
YAKUBU ABDULAI (Ghana) associated himself with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. He said he noted with satisfaction the numerous initiatives being pursued to enhance the effectiveness of the
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international community's peace-keeping efforts. Ongoing discussions for the establishment of a rapidly deployable operational headquarters team were a manifestation of the international community's desire to save lives and property in areas of tension. He supported the concept of such a team, but emphasized the importance of establishing it in a transparent manner to prevent it becoming "the exclusive club of the rich". The team should recognize the multilateral character of the Organization, and respect the spirit of the Charter regarding the independence of staff and equitable geographical representation.
He said the "creeping privatization" of the Organization by the preponderance of loaned military staff countered the Organizations's spirit of independence. Cognizant of the financial crisis that had opened the way to the present staffing situation, he hoped all States in arrears would meet their commitments. Non-payment of dues penalized the Organization as a whole, and also small developing States which contributed troops and were not reimbursed on time. It further penalized peace-keepers, who were sometimes compelled to rely on unserviceable equipment and aged vehicles.
He noted that Ghana was the 15th largest troop contributor. All troop contributors should have the opportunity to participate in the Special Committee as full members. He declared his country's commitment to the Organization's purposes and principles, and to the concept of collective security.
ISAAC E. AYEWAH (Nigeria) said the increasing size and scope of peace- keeping operations reflected the ongoing transformation of the international system, as well as the increasing efficacy of United Nations peace-keeping. Some Member States now appeared to want the United Nations to be less active in peace-keeping, and to shift its efforts to preventive diplomacy, and other activities, including cooperation with regional organizations. However, it was almost certain that additional peace-keeping operations would be required in the future.
He said he supported the recommendations of the Committee on Peace-keeping, particularly those relating to consultations between troop- contributors and the Security Council, and those regarding enhanced training, rapid deployment and standby arrangements. The financial crisis in the Organization had resulted in reimbursements to troop-contributing countries being placed in arrears. The lessons learned from peace-keeping operations indicated that slow reaction time in deployment had serious consequences in terms of human lives and suffering.
He said Nigeria had supported the development of the rapidly deployable mission headquarters. Although he welcomed efforts at transparency, consultation with all concerned and key regional Member States was needed. Its operations should be financed largely through assessed contributions.
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Regional involvement with the United Nations had helped to stabilize conflict situations in many regions. The role of the central mechanism for conflict prevention, resolution and management of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was important. He expressed concern that recent reductions in the headquarters staff of the DPKO might undermine its work.
KINGMANO PHOMMAHAXAY (Lao People's Democratic Republic) said United Nations peace-keeping operations had proliferated. He expressed grave concern over increasing trends towards the expansion of their scope. He said that ensuring the peaceful resolution of conflicts depended on clear mandates and objectives, time frames and secure financing for peace-keeping operations.
He said he welcomed the readiness of the Security Council to consult with troop-contributing countries well before the Council took decisions on extending the mandate of an existing peace-keeping operation. The Council should also consult with all States or parties directly involved in the conflict. He wished to know about the precise methodology to be pursued for creation of the rapidly deployable mission headquarters. He believed the use of "loaned personnel", either in the DPKO or in the future deployable mission headquarters, should be temporary.
HISASHI OWADA (Japan) said that while the international situation had changed dramatically in the half century since the Organization's founding, its role in maintaining peace and security had not. More recently, peace- keeping operations had become an essential part of the global peace process, including securing the safety of personnel engaged in humanitarian relief efforts. The Organization's financial constraints were reflected in the decline in scope and number of peace-keeping operations, but financial constraints should not hinder the implementation of a peace-keeping operation that could otherwise be viable.
Through participation in peace-keeping operations training and related seminars, as well as exchanges among military and civilian personnel, countries could increase mutual understanding. Japan had been promoting various exchanges with troop-contributing countries in an effort to enhance mutual confidence.
A firm financial base was necessary to ensure the viability of the operations, he continued. The most desirable combination of personnel would be a mix of officers from developing countries for service with the rapidly deployable mission headquarters unit, made possible with resources from a trust fund; on-loan officers; and officers from the Secretariat. Past operations should be reviewed to learn from failures and successes. A consultation mechanism between Security Council members and countries contributing to peace-keeping operations was of crucial importance.
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He then turned to two draft resolutions tabled in the Committee. One expanded the Special Committee's membership to enable interested countries to participate in the Special Committee's discussions. He said he hoped it would not adversely effect the Committee's efficacy.
The second draft resolution involved the safety and security of personnel involved in United Nations peace-keeping operations. He said States would be reluctant to dispatch their personnel to worthy, yet risky endeavours, if the cooperation of Member States for the safety of personnel engaged in peace-keeping activities was not assured.
He said four years had passed since Japan had adopted its International Peace and Cooperation Law which had allowed it to contribute troops to a number of United Nations peace-keeping operations. Based on experiences and lessons learned, Japan was reviewing the law, with a view to playing an active role in the Organization's peace-keeping activities.
TIN WINN (Myanmar) said peace-keeping operations should not be regarded as a substitute for pacific means for countries to settle disputes. The use of armed forces to deal with threats to the peace should be a last resort. He underlined the need to observe the widely-accepted principles guiding all peace-keeping operations, including non-interference in internal affairs and the need for impartiality in peace-keeping operations.
He said the international community should learn from the Organization's successes and failures to date. More effective and successful operations would require defining clear mandates, setting precise and feasible objectives, and ensuring the availability of sufficient funds for implementation. Interested Member States and troop-contributors should be given the opportunity to consult with the Security Council. Further, all Member States should pay their assessed contributions in full and on time without conditions.
There could be no peace without development, he contended. The world should address economic and social development as well as the maintenance of international peace and security. Poverty and lack of development were the root causes of conflicts demanding peace-keeping operations.
CARLOS DOS SANTOS (Mozambique) said peace-keeping operated on the principle of consent by all parties concerned. However, a balance was required between the need to respect national sovereignty, and the need to ensure that human lives were safeguarded. He welcomed the proposal to enlarge the membership of the Special Committee, and believed that its expansion would enhance efficiency. He looked forward to secured funding for peace-keeping operations in years to come. However, reduction of resources allocated to the DPKO was already having a negative impact on the functioning of some units.
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He said Mozambique demonstrated that those who benefited from United Nations assistance in peace-keeping must be provided with the necessary means to consolidate peace and security. Demobilization of combatants and their integration in society, weapons collection, and mine clearance were of paramount importance. Efforts must be deployed to strengthen the national institutions to ensure a lasting peace, stability and exercise of democracy. The recurrence or long-lasting conflicts in the African continent remained a challenge to the international community and to the OAU.
JESUS S. DOMINGO (Philippines) said peace-keeping played a vital role in the realization of international peace and security, but it should continue to be the United Nations tool of last resort. "We feel that the best safeguard against conflict is to address its roots, through a United Nations recommitted to progress and development", he said. Supporting the expansion in membership of the Committee on Peace-keeping, he said many countries of the Non-Aligned Movement, including the Philippines, looked forward to making more meaningful contributions to the Committee. The formulation of the Non-Aligned Movement on peace-keeping operations should serve as a basis for arriving at universally-agreed principles for the efforts of the United Nations.
He called for ratification of the Convention on Safety and Security of United Nations Personnel, and for greater transparency in development of the rapid deployment capability. He said peace-keeping operations should reflect the Organization as a whole. However, many DPKO functions were now carried out by loaned officers; the fact they vastly outnumbered United Nations- salaried officials was a sad commentary on the state of affairs of the Organization.
NACERDINE SAI (Algeria) underlined the importance of prompt reaction by the international community in order to launch peace-keeping operations in time to avoid massacres such as those witnessed in recent history. He stressed the urgency of repairing the Organization's financial crisis, which impacted on its ability to react in a timely manner. In this regard, countries must pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions. It was especially important for the members of the Security Council to adhere to this process. He stressed the international community's obligations to fulfil its duties towards troop-contributing countries, with appropriate compensation for troops contributed, paying special attention to developing countries. A uniform scale of death and disability compensation should be implemented, based on the principle of fairness and equality. The present system of compensation reflected disparity.
He said his country had provided considerable material, logistical support and other assistance to peace-keeping operations worldwide. It remained committed to lasting peace and security at national and international level.
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SLOBODAN TASOVSKI (The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia) said it was important to define precise and feasible objectives for peace-keeping operations and to ensure sufficient resources for the successful implementation of those mandates. He welcomed the new process for consultations between troop-contributing countries, the Security Council and the Secretariat. It was important that peace-keeping operations function with respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and non-intervention in matters essentially within domestic jurisdiction.
On the matter of the Balkans region, he stressed the importance of the United Nations Preventive Deployment Force (UNPREDEP) for maintaining peace and security. The security environment in that region remained exceptionally fragile, making the UNPREDEP presence critical. His country had requested the extension of UNPREDEP's mandate for the next of six months.
BERHANEMESKEL NEGA (Ethiopia) said a strategy was required that not only prevented current conflicts, but prevented their recurrence. In Africa, civil strife and conflict had emerged as a result of the deteriorating economic situation. He supported economic development efforts. His country truly valued peaceful resolution of conflict. It actively participated in the OAU Central Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Resolution and Management. Regular financing should be made available to the DPKO to ensure the success of future missions.
In light of the human tragedy now unfolding in the Great Lakes region of Africa, it seemed that the lessons of previous delays in responding to crises had not been learned. He drew attention to the recommendation of the Report of the Special Committee on Peace-keeping, calling for greater cooperation between the United Nations and the OAU mechanism.
EDUARDO TAPIA (Chile) said peace-keeping operations had gained importance in the work of the Organization. They were necessary to ensure future stability, and they needed to be run as efficiently as possible. Progress had been made in establishing consultations between the Security Council and troop-contributing countries. The right of those countries to be heard by the Security Council should now be recognized as a de jure right. He supported efforts to establish a rapidly-deployable mission headquarters and the principle of equitable geographical representation in its membership, and hoped it would be financed through the regular budget. The solution to the financial problems of the Organization was simple. All States should pay what they owed.
BRUNO ZIMMERMANN, observer for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said the ICRC, in conformity with its mandate "to work for the understanding and dissemination of international humanitarian law applicable in armed conflicts and to prepare any development thereof", had studied the possible content of a code of conduct for United Nations peace-keeping
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personnel, consistent with applicable international humanitarian law. It had organized two meetings of military and academic experts on this matter. The results of these meetings were then jointly analyzed by the ICRC and the United Nations. The final text based on these efforts, entitled "Directives for United Nations Forces Regarding Respect for International Humanitarian Law," was now being finalized by the Organization's Office of Legal Affairs.
The "Directives" did not constitute an exhaustive list of principles and rules binding upon military personnel, he continued. Relevant directives should therefore continue to be issued. Every national contingent should receive proper training in international humanitarian law before being deployed. Such training was the best guarantee that operations would be conducted in compliance with the law.
He said the ICRC had repeatedly called for the preservation of humanitarian space in situations of conflict. Political or military action should not erode the neutrality and impartiality of humanitarian operations. The ICRC frequently communicated with United Nations peace-keeping forces in the field in order to clarify their respective tasks. That relationship could
change, and the ICRC might be called upon to fulfil its role as a neutral intermediary, for example by visiting persons detained by a peace-keeping force.
He stressed that humanitarian action could run parallel to military or political action, but could not replace it. Politicization of humanitarian action would be to the detriment of the victims of conflicts, rendering them hostages to political considerations. Equally risky were attempts to put a humanitarian label on action of a political or military nature. In the best interests of the victims, the ICRC and the United Nations must continue to cooperate in fulfilling their respective mandates.
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