PRESS CONFERENCE ON WORKING GROUP ON STRENGTHENING UN SYSTEM

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE ON WORKING GROUP ON STRENGTHENING UN SYSTEM

The President of the General Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), Chairman of the Assembly's open-ended high-level working group on the strengthening of the United Nations system, and its two Vice-Chairmen, Prakash Shah (India) and Hans Jacob Bjorn Lian (Norway), held a press conference at Headquarters this morning to introduce the group's report (document A/51/24).

The Assembly President told correspondents he was proud to be associated with the two Vice-Chairmen. Despite the large scope of the working group's considerations, it had concluded its work last week, as a result of unstinting efforts by the two Ambassadors. The United Nations had 185 directors, five of whom were more important than the rest. Under those circumstances, and because the working group operated on a consensual basis, the current achievement had been "no mean feat".

Ambassador Shah said the working group would present its report to the Assembly's fifty-second session. A press release on the report was made available to correspondents. In the course of its discussions, the group had taken up a number of matters about which decisions had not been taken due to a lack of consensus. In matters upon which decisions had not been taken, the group had been able to develop suggestions that could benefit the Assembly and the Secretariat.

Ambassador Lian said the group had completed an extensive review of the functioning of the General Assembly and the Secretariat. Consensus had been achieved on an unusually comprehensive package of reforms. While few of the measures agreed upon had been revolutionary, the package as a whole had been a considerable achievement. "These are not the most auspicious times for reform", he said. Despite a prevailing atmosphere of distrust between countries of the North and the South, there had been agreement that the Organization required reform.

The working group's report should be viewed in the context of the Secretary-General's overall goals, Ambassador Lian continued. The group had managed to complete its work ahead of the Secretary-General's reform package, due on 16 July. The two reform processes would be dovetailed. The Organization now had a window of opportunity for widespread and general reform.

A correspondent asked for more information about a single term for the post of Secretary-General. Ambassador Shah said that option had been a major point of discussion over the past two years. While an overwhelming majority of States favoured a single term, there was disagreement about the length of such a term. Because the group had been unable to achieve consensus on the matter, it had been dealt with in the report as an alternative to be considered before the appointment of the next Secretary-General. The issue would be taken up by Member States at the Assembly's next regular session.

What kind of reform issues created divisions between North and South countries? a correspondent asked. Ambassador Shah said that both developing and developed countries agreed that the Organization should focus on development issues. Differences related primarily to approach and priority. Developing countries felt the Organization's role should be expanded in terms of resource provision as well as technical and other kinds of cooperation. Industrialized countries stressed that the Organization should streamline its economic and social machinery, and implement reform to make its delivery systems more effective. In turn, those changes would require that donor countries provided greater financial resources for United Nations development activities.

Differences of opinion also existed in the realm of peace-keeping, as well as humanitarian and human rights issues, Ambassador Shah continued. For example, should peace-keeping focus on traditional definitions of international peace and security, or encompass newly-emerging issues such as drug trafficking and terrorism?

Ambassador Lian said that a number of donor countries felt the Organization's present development system was not the most efficient. Development efforts should be considered and assessed in the context of other, related efforts.

Would North-South divisions imperil the reform process? a correspondent asked. Despite differences, there had been a large measure of agreement, Ambassador Lian said. The Assembly President added that North-South politics had been in existence for many years, and were present in every core issue of the Organization: development, humanitarian, economic and social, and peace and security.

The Assembly's nineteenth special session had illustrated the frailty of international cooperation, Ambassador Razali continued. Based on that experience, certain issues should be considered. What was the staying power of countries' commitments? Were commitments to be accepted or could the international community expect attrition in such commitments? Those issues were the Organization's current reality; "the earlier we all recognize it, the better". The Organization had less money than the World Bank or the private sector. The problems between North and South were quite understandable, he added.

Working Group on UN System Briefing - 3 - 14 July 1997

A correspondent asked about developing countries' perception that the General Assembly was not exercising its power concerning the appointment of the Secretary-General. How would the Security Council feel about text in the working group's report on the Assembly's participation in that regard? he asked. Ambassador Lian said there had been full agreement on the text's formulation by members of the working group, which included members of the Security Council. There was no contradiction between the Council's role and the more active role foreseen for the Assembly. The text had been the result of arduous negotiations to readjust the relationship between those two bodies.

Ambassador Shah added that the Assembly would not replace the Council's role in recommending a candidate for Secretary-General. Instead, the Assembly would assist the Council in taking its decision on a candidate by providing the Council with its recommendations.

A correspondent asked whether the working group had suggested amendments to the United Nations Charter to reflect proposed changes in the responsibilities of the Trusteeship and Security Councils. Ambassador Lian said that the Group had not dealt with the Security Council; a special group dealt with changes to that body. Ambassador Shah said that the Trusteeship Council had not come up for discussion because for all practical purposes that body had not been meeting. A draft resolution would go before the Assembly on converting or disbanding the Council through a Charter amendment.

What had happened with the item on non-governmental organizations (NGOs)? a correspondent asked. Despite widespread support for greater NGO participation in the work of the Assembly and its Main Committees, differences of opinion existed on the extent and means of such participation, Ambassador Shah replied. Because it was of great importance to a large number of countries, as well as to civil society organizations, the working group had recommended that the Assembly give priority consideration to the item at its next regular session.

Asked about the Committees, Ambassador Lian said he had been struck by Member States' support for the existing structure. In order to rationalize and streamline the work of the First (Disarmament and International Security) and Fourth (Special Political and Decolonization) Committees, the working group had recommended that the two should be convened in sequence.

A correspondent asked the Assembly President to summarize the activities of the Assembly under his leadership. He said he would reply to that question in good time.

Working Group on UN System Briefing - 4 - 14 July 1997

Had there been discussion on restructuring the Organization's subordinate machinery? a correspondent asked. Ambassador Shah said that the working group had held lengthy discussions on the entire subordinate machinery. The opinion had been expressed that those bodies which had completed their work should be disbanded. Many States had felt that the question should be held until the entire reform package could be considered, as the working group was only one of several such bodies focusing on reform.

What had happened to the United States' suggestion that the Assembly debate specific subjects each year? a correspondent asked. Ambassador Shah said that since the Assembly was the highest universal body, it should confine itself to dealing with issues of major concern. Other issues would be considered by the Committees, as occurred under the existing structure. While most countries felt the Secretary-General should appear before the Assembly when presenting his report, there had been different opinions about the timing of the presentation.

Ambassador Lian added that in the working group's report, the Secretary- General had been asked to make an executive summary, highlighting issues which he felt merited particular attention. Also, the Secretary-General had been asked to state his vision of the Organization's future. In complying with those requests, the Secretary-General's presentation would effectively set the political agenda for the general debate. Since the Assembly was the highest authority in which Heads of Governments made general statements, the working group had decided it was important that speakers be free to state their concerns on whatever matters they deemed priority.

What criteria would the Assembly use to select its candidate for Secretary-General? a correspondent asked. The Assembly would seek to select the best candidate available in the world for the job, Ambassador Shah replied. A variety of criteria would be considered. It was not "laid down that a person should have a college degree, or should be from one place or the other", he said. The group had not considered it appropriate to develop a binding set of criteria. However, Ambassador Lian said, the report stressed that due regard should be given to geographical equity and gender equality. Regional and gender considerations had been brought in quite forcefully, he added.

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