IMPORTANCE OF DEFINING FUTURE ROLE OF COMMITTEE ON CHARTER STRESSED BY CHAIRMAN, DUSAN ROVENSKY (CZECH REPUBLIC), AS TWO-WEEK 1997 SESSION BEGINS
Press Release
L/2815
IMPORTANCE OF DEFINING FUTURE ROLE OF COMMITTEE ON CHARTER STRESSED BY CHAIRMAN, DUSAN ROVENSKY (CZECH REPUBLIC), AS TWO-WEEK 1997 SESSION BEGINS
19970127 The newly elected Chairman of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, Dusan Rovensky (Czech Republic), emphasized this morning the importance of defining the future work and role of the Special Committee. Addressing the Committee as it began its two-week session, the Chairman, who was elected at this morning's meeting, said that due to fundamental political changes since the end of the cold war, as well as efforts to reform and revitalize the United Nations, there existed in the world a new environment to which the Committee must adapt. The first step was taken when the Committee was transformed into an open-ended body. Now, additional efforts must be made to address the future role and place of the Special Committee. He said the Committee must identify new items for discussion, particularly areas in which it could offer legal expertise. It should also adjust its relationship with the General Assembly's Sixth Committee (Legal) and redefine modalities of coordination to avoid duplication and the waste of resources. Also this morning the Committee elected Yamira Cueto Milian (Cuba), Maria Lourdes V. Ramiro-Lopez (Philippines) and Omer Dahab Fadul (Sudan) as Vice-Chairmen. Marja Lehto (Finland) was elected Rapporteur. The Committee also adopted its agenda for the session. In opening remarks to the session, Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs and United Nations Legal Counsel, Hans Corell, recalled that Assembly resolution 51/209 had asked the Committee to consider proposals on the maintenance of international peace and security and the question of the peaceful settlement of disputes between States, including proposals on the establishment of a dispute settlement service. The Committee should also consider assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, and the future role of the Trusteeship Council. The Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. today to continue its deliberations.Committee on Charter - 2 - Press Release L/2815 217th Meeting (AM) 27 January 1997
Background on Committee's Session
The current session of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization is scheduled to conclude on 7 February. The Committee is open to all Member States in accordance with General Assembly resolution 50/52, of 11 December 1995. According to the provisional agenda for the session (document A/AC.182/L.91), the Committee will consider the questions mentioned in Assembly resolution 51/209 of 17 December 1996, which took note of the Committee's report on its 1996 work. That text requested the Committee in 1997 to consider proposals concerning the maintenance of international peace and security, assistance to third States affected by the application of sanctions under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, the question of the peaceful settlement of disputes between States, including proposals on the establishment of a dispute settlement service. The Committee was also requested to continue considering the future role of the Trusteeship Council. By the same resolution, the Secretary-General was requested to expedite the preparation and publication of the Supplements to the Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council and the Repertory of Practice of United Nations Organs and to submit a progress report on the matter to the Assembly before its fifty-second session, taking into account the views expressed and the practical suggestions made during the debates held within the framework of the Assembly's Sixth Committee (Legal). Further by the resolution, the Assembly invited the Committee to continue to identify new subjects for consideration in its future work with a view to contributing to the revitalization of the work of the United Nations, to discuss how to offer its assistance to the working groups of the General Assembly and to consider ways and means of improving coordination between the Special Committee and other working groups dealing with the reform of the Organization. Regarding the maintenance of international peace and security, the Assembly requested the Committee to consider all proposals concerning the maintenance of international peace and security in order to strengthen the role of the United Nations. It would also consider other proposals relating to the maintenance of international peace and security already submitted or which may be submitted to the Special Committee at its current session. According to the Committee's report on its work in 1996 (document A/51/33), those proposals include working papers presented by Libya and by Cuba on the strengthening of the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security. Also before the Committee is a working paper on the draft declaration on the basic principles and criteria for the work of the United Nations peace-keeping missions and mechanisms for the prevention and settlement of crises and conflicts.
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