SECURITY COUNCIL LAUDED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBERS FOR BETTER WORKING METHODS, IMPROVED CONSULTATION, GREATER TRANSPARENCY

Press Release
GA/9174

SECURITY COUNCIL LAUDED BY ASSEMBLY MEMBERS FOR BETTER WORKING METHODS, IMPROVED CONSULTATION, GREATER TRANSPARENCY

Further Progress Said To Be Needed; Some Fault Council's Annual Report as Compilation of Statistics Lacking Analysis

The Security Council's working methods had become more transparent, its procedures more relevant and methods more responsive to the demands of the general United Nations membership, the General Assembly heard today as it began its consideration of the Council's annual report. At the same time, several Member States expressed concern and disappointment over the report's lack of analytical information. The report was introduced by the representative of Indonesia and current President of the Security Council, Nugroho Wisnumurti. Any comment on the report would be incomplete without a reference to the widespread dissatisfaction in the General Assembly regarding its format, said the representative of Germany. The report had been reduced 10 per cent since last year, but was still 300 pages long; more substance and analysis should could have been included, for example, in the report's introduction. The representative of Cuba said the report was a "sterile" account which fell short of a thorough examination of the substantial matters before the Council during the year under consideration. The representative of Austria said it was important to increase interaction between members and non-members of the Security Council during early stages of consultation and decision-making. Other Member States stressed the need for further consultation and coordination between the Council and the General Assembly so as to enhance a genuine partnership. The Council should make greater efforts to hear the views of the general membership before making major decisions, particularly those countries directly affected, the representative of China said. He added that the Council had already made some efforts, such as holding public meetings when considering important issues. Statements were also made by Argentina, Colombia, Italy, Malaysia, the Philippines, Poland, the Republic of Korea and Ukraine. The Assembly also this morning concluded its consideration of its agenda item on the strengthening of the United Nations system. Statements were made by the Russian Federation, Argentina, Iran, Egypt and Pakistan. The Assembly will meet at 3 p.m. today to continue its consideration of the Security Council's report.

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Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to consider the Security Council's annual report, covering the period from 16 June 1995 to 15 June 1996 (document A/51/2). The report, produced as a guide to the 12-month period, is submitted to the Assembly in accordance with provisions of the United Nations Charter.

During the period under review, the Council held 132 formal meetings, adopted 64 resolutions and issued 62 statements. The Council held 240 consultations of the whole, totalling some 377 hours. It considered over 70 reports of the Secretary-General, and reviewed and processed more than 1,079 documents and communications from States and regional and other intergovernmental organizations.

Part I of the report deals with questions considered by the Council under its responsibility for maintenance of international peace and security. The subject receiving most of the Council's attention through open meetings was the situation in the former Yugoslavia, followed by those in Rwanda, Liberia, Angola, the Middle East, Tajikistan and the Tajik-Afghan border, and Burundi.

The number of meetings devoted to those situations, as well as resolutions adopted and presidential statements made, were as follows:

Situation Meetings Resolutions Statements

Former Yugoslavia 45 23 24 Rwanda 10 8 2 Liberia 9 5 2 Angola 8 3 4 Middle East 7 5 4 Tajikistan, border 7 3 4 Burundi 6 3 3

The Council also met on Afghanistan, Cyprus, Georgia, Haiti, Iraq and Kuwait, Sierra Leone, Somalia and Western Sahara.

In addition, the Council considered items relating to An Agenda for Peace, the commemoration of the end of the Second World War in the Asia- Pacific region, the extradition of suspects wanted in the attempted assassination of the President of Egypt, the shooting down of civil aircraft by Cuban forces on 24 February 1996, the Council's sanctions against Libya, and the signing of the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (Treaty of Pelindaba).

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Part II of the report deals with other items considered, such as the International Court of Justice, the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, the International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and Rwanda, and the Council's working methods and procedures. Part III covers the work of the Military Staff Committee, while Part IV lists communications on matters brought to the Council's attention, but not discussed at formal meetings.

The report also addresses the work of subsidiary organs of the Council which were active during the year. Those include the Governing Council of the United Nations Compensation Commission, set up to review claims resulting from Iraq's invasion and occupation of Kuwait; the Special Commission set up to monitor the disposal of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction; and Security Council Committees established with respect to the situations involving Iraq and Kuwait, Yugoslavia, Libya, Somalia, Angola, Rwanda and Liberia.

Regarding the Council's membership, the report notes that the General Assembly last year elected Chile, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Poland and the Republic of Korea to fill the vacancies resulting from the expiration on 31 December 1995 of the terms of office of Argentina, Czech Republic, Nigeria, Oman and Rwanda.

The report recalls that, in January 1996, the Council decided that the chairmen of its Sanctions Committees should give oral briefings to interested Member States after each Committee meeting, just as the Council President gives oral briefings following consultations of Council members. During the period under review, the Council also expanded consultations and information- exchange with countries contributing troops to United Nations peace-keeping operations.

The Assembly this morning was also to continue consideration of its agenda item on strengthening the United Nations system (see Press Release GA/9173 of 25 November).

Statements

ALEKSANDR GORELIK (Russian Federation) said the working group on strengthening of the United Nations system had provided a road map for revitalizing and reinvigorating the Organization, pinpointing alternative views, as well as converging interests among States. It had found a way to concentrate on the General Assembly, the Secretariat and contiguous themes. The group had found broad agreement on how to restructure the Secretariat in terms of a more rational organization, modern management techniques, increasing economy and accountability. He expressed dissatisfaction that the principle of equitable geographic distribution of high-level posts in the Secretariat was not always thoroughly observed.

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He said improvement in budgetary processes and mechanisms was an important but often underestimated aspect of the topics under consideration by the Group. It was a theme which related directly to policy issues in the Organization. The process reflected cooperation between the Assembly and the Secretariat, as two of the main bodies of the United Nations. On the group's working methods and its final product, he believed that, despite a temptation to reach for new "promising" themes, priority should be given to specific results, modest as they may be, which were attainable.

FERNANDO PETRELLA (Argentina) said that progress made in the working group had been largely due to the commitment of the ambassadors of India and New Zealand. Negotiations should be guided by the principles of consensus, political and financial commitment of Member States, and transparency in the work of the Organization. Argentina believed that there should be greater interaction in the plenary session, rather than simply debates that merely consisted of set speeches.

He suggested joint meetings among the different Assembly committees when the occasion demanded. The position of the President of the Assembly should also be strengthened, as should that of non-governmental organizations. The United Nations was called upon to play a significant role in international relations in the twenty-first century; to achieve that, it was imperative to redefine the structures that would make it possible.

KAMAL KHARRAZI (Iran) said the success of any effort to reform and revitalize the United Nations system depended entirely on the political will and commitment of all Member States to a strengthened and effective Organization. Any reform should promote the basic principles of the Charter, particularly the principles of equal sovereignty of all States and full participation of all Member States in the United Nations decision-making process.

The central priority for a strengthened system should be the enhancement of its role in promoting economic and social development, he continued. The United Nations suffered tremendously from the lack of financial resources to realize its goals and objectives in the area of development. Imbalances must be corrected, and the provision of financial resources was a prerequisite for the system to function effectively. The role of the General Assembly must be enhanced.

He said the report of the Security Council to the Assembly should be informative and analytical and provide a clear picture of the Council's activities. Iran attached great importance to the annual report of the Secretary-General to the Assembly. Consideration of that report should provide the opportunity for all members to assess the extent to which the Assembly's mandates were implemented by the Secretariat. In addition, any measures to enhance the efficiency of the system should not result in the

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downsizing or dismantling of programmes or organs -- particularly those related to development.

FOUAD HOSNY (Egypt) said his Government would continue to work towards consensus on matters relating to the future of the United Nations. Reform was a means of correcting mechanisms which were not appropriate for the modern world. The strengthening of the United Nations was a process which should be democratic and transparent. Within the context of reform, specific countries must not attempt to achieve the priorities of the few. Resources for development were needed and the solution to the financial crisis was closely linked to the principle of democracy. The priorities of the majority must be respected.

The framework of international relations should be found in a forum in which all could express their views, he continued. All bodies, including the Security Council, must be strengthened. Egypt hoped that the principle for establishing machinery to allow the general membership to participate in the efforts of the Security Council could be discussed. The method for selecting the Secretary-General must be reviewed. Since democracy must apply, the Assembly must be given greater power in that process.

AHMAD KAMAL (Pakistan) said the Assembly had seen the gradual erosion of its central role. While the United Nations bureaucracy consumed two-thirds of the Organization's budget, its work in the social sector continued to suffer due to limited resources. While reform was a common objective, it was a task which demanded consensus achieved through careful consideration. The working groups on reform were established by the Assembly and each had a specific mandate of equal importance. The working groups must not be merged nor should they be forced to work under deadlines. Strengthening the role of the Assembly was vital. In the future, the focus of the working group on strengthening the Organization should be on reform of the Secretariat, with efforts aimed at establishing a system with the highest standards.

Report of the Security Council

NUGROHO WISNUMURTI (Indonesia), President of the Security Council, presented the Council's report to the General Assembly. He noted that the figures contained in the report regarding the number of meetings, presidential statements and resolutions, did not and could not by themselves fully reflect the dynamic of the Council's work. The Council's intense consultations had aimed at building a consensus, while at the same time ensuring the effectiveness of the decisions reached. In all instances, the input of States affected by conflict and cooperation with the relevant international and regional organizations had proved valuable.

The Council had heard Member States' proposals, in previous years, urging efforts to promote efficiency and transparency in its work. Those

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proposals, as well as those expressed in today's meeting, needed thorough consideration; through such an approach, the opportunity for Member States to contribute to the work done on their behalf would be enhanced and would facilitate greater interaction between the Assembly and the Council. In the period under review, there had been increased recourse to open debates, in particular at an early stage of the Council's consideration of a subject. Such open debates had been invaluable for non-members of the Security Council; briefings by the Council presidency for non-members had also become an established practice.

At the same time, the Council remained cognizant of the wish, expressed by Member States, to improve the format and nature of the Council's report. He hoped that in the year ahead there would be further steps to enhance the work of the Council, including its effectiveness and transparency.

ANATOLI M. ZLENKO (Ukraine) said the work of the Security Council had become more transparent, its procedures more relevant and its methods more satisfying and responsive to the demands of the general United Nations membership. At the same time, however, he had been trying to find out in the annual report to what extent the Council took into account the critical notes, general ideas and practical suggestions expressed by the Member States during the fiftieth session of the Assembly, but had found none. Members of the Council, primarily the permanent members, he stated, were not very enthusiastic about changing outdated Rules of Procedure, despite the fact that they would be the first to benefit from it.

On the format of the Report, he said it was hard to believe that 15 members of the Council would agree on common understanding and interpretation of the Council's endeavour. He recommended that the Council's working group on documentation and working methods and procedures study the issue of preparing special topical reports by the Council to the Assembly. He expressed satisfaction that the "so-called orientation debates" had become a characteristic feature of the working methods of the Council in the previous year, and said the points of view of Member States had contributed to the elaboration by the Council of decisions of balanced and comprehensive character. The Council would experience the same positive consequences by introducing the long-awaited practice of the participation by interested States which were not members of the Council in the Council's informal consultations.

FERNANDO PETRELLA (Argentina) recalled his country's appreciation of the Council's intervention in Latin America, specifically the extension of the mandate of the United Nations mission in Haiti, a country and nation to which, he said, Argentina felt very close.

On the shared responsibility between the General Assembly and the Security Council, he said the very notion of participation did not have

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significance because of the Council's frequent practice of holding closed meetings. The Council's report, he added, limited itself to compiling the issues which had come before the Council, with no analysis of those issues. It should be asked whether the special reports would not be of greater use in order to generate a debate accessible to all, including the smaller countries. Those matters deserved urgent attention, not only because of the habit the Council had fallen into of holding closed meetings, but also because the international agenda had changed considerably since the end of the cold war.

He said his delegation did not intend to revive old debates, provoked more by political concerns rather than genuine concerns; it believed the Council should reflect seriously on the limit of its responsibilities and its obligation to act with maximum transparency before the Assembly, with which it shared responsibility.

WANG XUEXIAN (China) said the Security Council had been very busy in the period under consideration and had made fresh contributions to maintaining international peace. But it should make greater efforts in several areas, including hearing the views of the general membership before making major decisions, particularly those countries from the region under consideration. In this sense, he added, the Council had already made some efforts, such as holding public meetings when considering important issues.

In resolving international and regional conflicts, he went on, the Council should try to urge the parties to settle their differences through negotiations, before adopting mandatory measures such as sanctions and military intervention. The Council should consistently abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter and respect the views of the countries and parties concerned. Finally, it should refrain from exceeding its mandate and should particularly respect the authority of the General Assembly.

PARK SOO GIL (Republic of Korea) hoped that the consideration of the Council's report would help bring both organs, the Assembly and the Security Council, closer together, since the relationship between the two was "tricky in practice and inconclusive in theory". An optimal relationship could be achieved through closer consultation and coordination, rather than focusing on which body reigned supreme.

Among the improvements, he said, was the enhanced arrangement for the exchange of information with troop-contributing countries. This new mechanism had made it easier to create a strong support base for new peace-keeping operations by providing for the meeting with prospective troop contributors in advance. Above all else, he noted, the Council President's briefings had now become a vital semi-institutional link between Council members and non- members; it was now an indisputable fact that informal consultations were the core of the Council's activities.

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FELIPE MABILANGAN (Philippines) said there was an urgent need to improve the Assembly's present format of considering the Council's annual report. He cited the authority of the President of the Assembly in resolution 48/264 to propose ways and means of facilitating an in-depth discussion by the Assembly of matters contained in reports submitted to it by the Council. A more appropriate mechanism or procedure should be established to permit the Assembly an analytical exchange of view on the matters in the report and, where appropriate, translate those views into recommendations or decisions.

He suggested a more substantive and explanatory Annual Report, not simply what was essentially a compilation of official proceedings and decisions. The report should include a summary of the consultations of the whole on key matters covered in the report, focusing on the circumstances or factors which led to a specific course of action or non-action. The usefulness of the report would also be enhanced if it included sections on the decisions and recommendations of the Council's subsidiary organs, the highlights or outcomes of its consultations with troop-contributing countries on peace-keeping operations, and on the steps by the Council to improve the transparency of its working methods and decision-making process. The Council should also provide special reports to the Assembly throughout the year, in accordance with Articles 15 and 24 of the Charter.

ANDELFO GARCIA (Colombia) said that Articles 10 to 17 of the Charter established an institutional link of the utmost importance between the General Assembly and the Security Council. Their relationship entailed that when the Council acted, it did so in conformity with the Charter, and in doing so, acted on behalf of the Member States of the United Nations. It was clear therefore, he noted, that although the Council had as its primary responsibility the maintenance of peace and security, that responsibility was not exclusive to the Council.

He regretted the late issuance of the report, while recognizing the efforts by the Council to rationalize the programme of work and improve the transparency of the Sanctions Committees, he said those efforts were as yet insufficient. He said Council reports to the Assembly, should be submitted before the beginning of the general debate. There should be reports every three months, emphasizing the outcome of actions undertaken by the Council, and providing adequate information on the informal consultations referring to issues brought to its attention.

He announced that consultations were taking place in the Non-Aligned Movement on a draft resolution on the report of the Council to be submitted to the Assembly.

HELMUT BOCK (Austria) said it was essential that the Assembly become an even more relevant player in the decision-making process of the United Nations. To assume that role the Assembly must improve its organization and

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method of work. It was also important to increase interaction between the members and non-members of the Security Council during early stages of consultation and decision-making. Improving interaction among delegations would automatically enhance the legitimacy and efficiency of the Council.

Member States with a special interest in a situation under consideration by the Council should be given the opportunity to articulate their views as early as possible. Dialogue was particularly important in the field of peace- keeping. The current mechanism for interaction between the Council, the Secretariat and troop-contributing countries must also be strengthened.

He noted that last week's meeting to discuss the multinational force for eastern Zaire, convened by Canada, demonstrated the usefulness of such an approach. The format of future reports of the Security Council to the General Assembly should be discussed, including the possibility of issuing monthly reports instead of the current annual report.

FRANCESCO PAOLO FULCI (Italy), noting that his country had served as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the past two years, said the Council's work had been guided foremost by the intention to defend and promote the interests of the international community as a whole. Secondly, the Council's efforts had been guided by the involvement and participation of all States in the activities of the Council, especially those countries directly involved. Unlike the question of enlarging the Council, a great deal of progress had been achieved during discussion on how to improve the Council's working methods. No amendment to the Charter appeared to be necessary in that regard. This year's report reflected steps already taken by the Council to increase transparency.

None the less, further steps were needed to improve the effectiveness and transparency of its work, he said. At present, the Council's report to the Assembly was merely analytical and descriptive; it lacked any substantive indication of the process leading to the Council's decisions. Such limitations hindered meaningful consideration by the Assembly. The report should include a brief account of the Council's informal consultations on crisis areas, regional tensions, humanitarian emergencies and other issues crucial to local and global stability.

HASMY BIN AGAM (Malaysia) said that apart from some cosmetic changes, the Security Council report remained, as in the past, "a mere compendium of meetings and decisions" both in the form of resolutions and presidential statements, as well as the compilation of communications and documentation received by the Council. Malaysia, he continued, had previously emphasized the need for the Council to produce an analytical and substantive report on its work; the present report did not provide the basis of the decisions made by the Council on all issues. Nor did it reflect the consultations leading to

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decisions. The Council was obliged to explain and to inform the Assembly of the substantive elements in the deliberations on the particular issues.

While encouraging the Council to have more formal meetings, he said it was necessary to allow Member States not belonging to the Council to speak first so that the Council could truly benefit from their input. He said the Council's report must be timely if the Assembly were to meaningfully deliberate and pronounce on it. It should also keep the general membership informed at regular intervals throughout the year through special reports. It was also important to furnish the highlights or outcome of the consultations between the Council and troop-contributing countries on the status of an existing peace-keeping operation or the establishment of future operations.

ZBIGNIEW M. WLOSOWICZ (Poland) drew attention to the increasing use of "orientation debates" as a vehicle for an exchange of views in the early stages of Council deliberations, and the determination with which the Presidents of the Council were making themselves, and indeed the Council as a whole, accessible to all members of the Organization.

He welcomed the changes in the mechanism of peace-keeping consultations, saying that what had been achieved was greater transparency, and perhaps a wider and more substantial involvement of the countries that had long wished to exert legitimate influence on United Nations peace-keeping. He noted further improvements in the functioning of the sanctions committees, and urged that the process be continued.

He noted that the Council's statistics on formal meetings, resolutions and other matters of the Council in the period under review, were lower than for the previous year. The Council's enhanced ability to shape its response to the crises it had been dealing with, and its increased efficiency, were partly responsible for that.

TONO EITEL (Germany) said that any comment on the Council's report would be incomplete without a reference to the widespread dissatisfaction in the General Assembly regarding its format, a sentiment his delegation shared. The report could and should be both more concise and more substantial. It had been reduced 10 per cent since last year, but was still 300 pages long. This reflected the enormous workload of the Council, but it should still be possible to replace the repetitive parts with more substance and analysis, for example in the introduction of the report. A careful reduction of the matters of which the Council was seized might also contribute to a shorter and more precise report.

Germany, during its terms of presidency of the Council, had tried to ensure extensive briefing of non-Members on a daily basis. It had also asked, successfully, for more open meetings of the Council. Germany had also

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actively supported the efforts of Argentina and New Zealand aimed at improving the coordination between the Council and troop-contributing countries.

He said a more transparent Security Council would also lead to a stronger General Assembly. With the necessary political will and determination, a more transparent, credible and effective Council could be achieved.

BRUNO RODRIGUEZ (Cuba) said the Security Council report was "a sterile account" which lacked a thorough and objective examination of the diverse substantial matters which the Council had come to grips with during the last year. Nor did the report include information on the goals pursued by the Council when adopting its resolutions or presidential statements. The reporting process could not be constrained by formality. The Council had an obligation to inform the Assembly regarding the preparation of its report, and the Assembly had the right to debate the report, the items it contained and the steps taken by the Council during the year.

Although there had been much discussion of the need to increase the transparency of the Council, the current report clearly demonstrated that much more needed to be done, he said. Greater transparency had prevailed in the Security Council sanctions committees and their decision-making process had become more independent. However, their work was frequently influenced by certain unilateral decisions. Thus the Security Council report should contain a substantive assessment of the work of those committees.

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