GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES FIFTY-FIRST SESSION

Press Release
GA/9292

GENERAL ASSEMBLY CONCLUDES FIFTY-FIRST SESSION

Reform of the Security Council remained a "tantalizing prospect", but Member States first had to comprehend the universal aspirations for change in a United Nations mired in ways of governance that were less than democratic, the President of the General Assembly, Razali Ismail (Malaysia), said as he closed the Assembly's fifty-first session this morning. Unanimity on that politically loaded issue would never be possible, he added.

Reviewing an Assembly session that witnessed the swearing-in of a new Secretary-General and his launching of a two-phased reform proposal, President Razali said every aspect of the United Nations was at stake and a prize in the escalating debate between North and South, each side with conflicting claims on fundamental values and perspectives. That led to gridlock in virtually all aspects of reforming the Organization.

The most disappointing piece of unfinished business of the fifty-first session had been the continuing stalemate over payment of arrears and restoration of fiscal stability to the Organization, he said, stressing that "blind unilateralism will be the undoing of the United Nations".

At this morning's meeting, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, draft proposals recommended by its working groups on the United Nations financial situation, the question of equitable representation on and increase in Security Council membership and by its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

By one of today's actions, the Assembly adopted a resolution on the supplement to the Agenda for Peace, approving an annex that seeks to lay down some guidelines for the imposition of United Nations sanctions. The text states, among other things, that sanctions should be resorted to only with the utmost caution, when other peaceful options provided by the United Nations Charter are inadequate. Also, the unintended adverse side effects on the civilian population should be minimized by making the appropriate humanitarian exceptions in Council resolutions.

The draft on the supplement to Agenda for Peace was introduced by the representative of Cape Verde.

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The Assembly also endorse the Secretary-General's recommendation to extend the terms of office of three judges of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia.

Acting on a recommendation of the Fifth Committee, the Assembly adopted an orally revised resolution to restrict to two circumstances the use of certain types of gratis personnel loaned to the Organization. Among other provisions of the text are that such personnel should provide expertise not available within the United Nations, or urgent assistance in cases of new or expanded mandates, pending the approval of resources for those missions.

Also by the text, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to phase out type II personnel who do not fall under those two circumstances and to revise his draft guidelines on gratis personnel to ensure that their acceptance would be subject to provisions of the United Nations Charter.

The representatives of the United Republic of Tanzania, on behalf of the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, and of Cuba spoke in explanation of position.

By yet another decision it adopted on the review of efficiency, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit to its fifty-third session a report on the evaluation of the new performance appraisal system and on the follow-up of management irregularities causing financial losses to the Organization.

Further, it decided to resume considering the question of the strengthening of the external oversight mechanisms at the earliest possible stage of its fifty-second session.

By another action, under aspects of the 1996-1997 regular budget, the Assembly adopted a decision to authorize the Secretary-General to take steps necessary to settle outstanding claims on the construction of conference facilities for the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) in Addis Ababa. It authorized him to make final payments on the project from the construction-in- progress account.

Acting on administrative and budgetary aspects of peacekeeping financing, particularly the Lessons Learned Unit, the Assembly adopted a resolution to redeploy, for the period from 1 January to 30 June 1998, three posts to the Lessons Learned Unit funded from the support account for peacekeeping operations.

On pattern of conferences, the Assembly adopted a resolution on facilitating developing countries' access to the optical disk system, by which it called upon the Secretary-General to ensure that ease of access and flow of information from the system to end-users is continuous. It invited him to

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develop a policy for expanding access to the system, and requested that the special needs of groups of potential users be taken into account in formulating that policy.

On aspects related to the scale of assessments, the Assembly adopted a decision by which it agreed that the failure of Liberia, Tajikistan and the Comoros to pay amounts necessary to avoid the application of Article 19 of the United Nations Charter was due to conditions beyond their control and permitted them to vote through the fifty-second session. Article 19 strips Member States of the right to vote when their unpaid regular budget dues equal or exceed their previous two years' assessments.

Turning to the Secretary-General's report on the Office of Internal Oversight Services, the Assembly adopted a text deciding to continue considering at its next session his report on the work of the Office for the period 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1996 and the comments of the Joint Inspection Unit on the final reports of the Office.

Acting on the recommendation of the working group on the United Nations financial situation and of the Fifth Committee, the Assembly took note of the working group's work, on the understanding that it would be resumed when appropriate, after consultations with Member States.

The representative of Luxembourg spoke on behalf of the European Union and associated States.

The Assembly then adopted a decision recommended by its working group on the question of Council representation and membership by which it decided that the group should continue its work, taking into account progress achieved in the previous four Assembly sessions and views expressed in the next. The working group should report to the Assembly before the end of its fifty-second session, with any recommendations agreed upon.

The Assembly concluded its consideration of agenda items on: the situation in Burundi; restructuring and revitalization of the United Nations in the economic, social and related fields; the question of Cyprus; cooperation between the United Nations and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; improving the financial situation of the United Nations; financing of the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador; financing and liquidation of the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia; financing of the United Nations Operation in Somalia II; financing of the United Nations Operation in Mozambique; financing of the Military Observer Group of the United Nations Mission for Verification of Human Rights and of Compliance with the Commitments of the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights in Guatemala; human resources management; the report of the Economic and Social Council; elections to fill vacancies in subsidiary organs and other elections; the strengthening of the coordination of humanitarian and disaster relief assistance of the United Nations, including

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special economic assistance; the situation in the Middle East; the question of Palestine; the situation of democracy and human rights in Haiti; the situation in Afghanistan; the situation in Central America; the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina; environment and sustainable development; and human rights questions.

It also concluded and deferred to the next session consideration of the following items: financial reports and audited financial statements, and reports of the Board of Auditors: programme planning; the United Nations common system; and on the financing of several operations. Those operations are: the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the Middle East; United Nations Angola Verification Mission; the activities arising from Security Council resolution 687 (1991); the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara; the United Nations Protection Force, United Nations Confidence Restoration Operation in Croatia, United Nations Preventive Deployment Force and United Nations Peace Forces headquarters; the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus; United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia; United Nations Mission in Haiti; United Nations Observer Mission in Liberia; United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda; International Criminal Tribunals for the Former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda; United Nations Mission of Observers in Tajikistan; United Nations Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina; United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium; United Nations Preventive Deployment Force; United Nations Support Mission in Haiti; and the United Nations reform measures and proposals.

At the beginning of the meeting, the Assembly President stated that Grenada, Guinea-Bissau and Seychelles had made necessary payments to reduce their arrears below the amount specified in the Charter's Article 19.

Tributes in the forms of a minute's silence were paid to the memories of former Prime Minister of Afghanistan, Abdul Rahim Ghafoorzai, and the Chargé d'Affaires of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Khabouji N'Zaji Lukabu. Condolence messages were read out by the representative of the Syria, on behalf of the Asian States; Armenia, for the Eastern European States; Uruguay, for the Latin American and Caribbean States; Liechtenstein, for the Western European and Other States; Guinea-Bissau, on behalf of the African States; and the United States, on behalf of the Host Country. The representatives of Afghanistan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo also spoke.

The Assembly President also noted the passing away of Diana, Princess of Wales, and of Mother Teresa.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to take action on outstanding matters before its fifty-first session, in particular, reports of its Fifth Committee (Administrative and Budgetary).

Before the Assembly was a note by the Secretary-General on the election of judges of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (document A/51/968). The note says that, in order to enable the Assembly to consider the Secretary-General's recommendation in his letters dated 30 July to the Assembly and Security Council Presidents (document A/51/958-S/1997/605), consideration of the item will have to be reopened at the Assembly's next session. The action would be necessary to enable some of the Tribunal's judges to remain in office until they finish a particular case before them.

Under the item report of the Secretary-General on the work of the Organization, the Assembly had before it the report of the open-ended working group on the United Nations financial situation (document A/51/43), which recommends the adoption of a draft resolution taking note of the group's work on the understanding that it would be resumed when appropriate, after consultations with Member States. In the current Assembly session, the group, established in December 1994, discussed Member States' payment of dues in full and on time; the problem of arrears; the procedure for approving peacekeeping budgets and appropriations; the Organization's cash-flow situation; and the methods for calculating the scale of assessments.

Also before the Assembly was the report of the Fifth Committee (document A/51/973), which takes note of the report and transmits it to the Assembly for action.

A draft decision in the report of the working group on the United Nations financial situation would take note of the group's work on the understanding that it would be resumed, when appropriate, after consultations with Member States.

In the current Assembly session, the group, established in December 1994, discussed Member States' payment of dues in full and on time; the problem of arrears; the procedure for approving peacekeeping budgets and appropriations; the Organization's cash-flow situation; and the methods for calculating the scale of assessments.

Further before the Assembly was a draft resolution sponsored by Cape Verde on the supplement to an Agenda for Peace (document A/51/L.78). It would have the Assembly adopt the annexed texts on the questions of United Nations sanctions and on coordination by the Organization.

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The text on the United Nations sanctions states, among other things, that an effectively implemented regime of collective Security Council sanctions can operate as a useful international policy tool in a graduated response to threats to international peace and security. As Council action under Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, sanctions are a matter of the utmost seriousness and concern. They should be resorted to only with the utmost caution, when other peaceful options provided by the Charter are inadequate. The Council should give as thorough consideration as possible to the short-term and long-term effects of sanctions, having due regard to the need for the Council to act speedily in certain cases.

Further, the annex states that sanctions should be established in strict conformity with the Charter, with clear objectives, provision for regular review, and precise conditions for their lifting. Their implementation must adhere to the terms of the applicable Council resolutions. In this context, the Council must act in accordance with Article 24, paragraph 2, of the Charter. At the same time, the Council's ability to act speedily to maintain international peace and security must be recognized.

While there is a need to maintain the effectiveness of sanctions, the annex states that the unintended adverse side effects on the civilian population should be minimized by making the appropriate humanitarian exceptions in Council resolutions. The purpose of sanctions is to modify the behaviour of a party that is threatening international peace and security and not to punish or otherwise exact retribution. They should be commensurate with those objectives. Before sanctions are applied, it adds, a clear warning could be expressed in unequivocal language to the target country or party.

The annex adds that sanctions often have a serious negative impact on the development capacity and activity of target countries. Efforts should continue to be made to minimize unintended side effects of sanctions, especially with regard to the humanitarian situation and the development capacity that has a bearing on the humanitarian situation. Foodstuffs, medicines and medical supplies should be exempted from United Nations sanctions regimes. Basic or standard medical and agricultural equipment and basic or standard educational items should also be exempted.

More frequently used recently, sanctions have been causing problems of an economic nature in third countries, the annex continues. The importance of the subject has been reflected in intensive consideration of the question in its conceptual and specific forms by the Assembly in the last few years.

Another annex attached to the draft resolution makes proposal on coordination between the United Nations and Member States, coordination within the United Nations Secretariat, within the United Nations system, coordination in the field, as well as cooperation with regional arrangements and cooperation between the United Nations and non-governmental organizations.

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Under the item on Security Council reform, the Assembly had before it the report of the open-ended working group on the matter (documents A/51/47 and Corr.1). The working group was established pursuant to Assembly resolution 48/26 to consider all aspects of the question of increasing the Council's membership, as well as other related matters.

The working group's report contains 13 annexes with proposals submitted by Member States. In addition, it contains a draft decision by which the Assembly would take note of the report and would decide that the working group should continue its work, taking into account progress achieved during the previous four Assembly sessions, as well as views to be expressed during the upcoming session. It would also decide that the working group should submit a report to the Assembly before the end of its fifty-second session, including any recommendations agreed upon.

A Fifth Committee report on the review of the Organization's efficiency (document A/51/922/Add.1) recommends adoption of a draft decision by which the Assembly would request the Secretary-General to submit to its fifty-third session a report on the evaluation of the new performance appraisal system and on the follow-up of management irregularities causing financial losses to the Organization.

Another report of the Fifth Committee, on the review of efficiency of the administrative and financial functioning of the United Nations (document A/51/922/Add.2) recommends a draft resolution on gratis personnel, which would have the Assembly decide that such personnel should not be sought for financial reasons. The Assembly would then decide that type II gratis personnel would be used in two circumstances.

In the first, they would be taken, after the approval of a budget, to provide expertise not available in the Organization for very special functions, as identified by the Secretary-General, and for a specified period. In the second, they are to provide temporary and urgent assistance in the case of new and/or expanded mandates of the Organization, pending a decision by the Assembly on the level of resources required for those mandates. Further, the acceptance of such personnel would be governed by the relevant budget resolutions and procedures for unforeseen and extraordinary expenditures, peacekeeping operations and tribunals.

As for type II gratis personnel who fall outside the terms spelt out in the draft resolution, the Secretary-General would be requested to phase them out expeditiously, by the text.

Also by the draft, the Secretary-General would be requested to revise the draft guidelines on gratis personnel he had proposed in previous reports and submit them to the fifty-second Assembly session. Among other things, the principles say that gratis personnel should be subject to the United Nations

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Charter's Articles 100 and 101 and should have the same obligations and responsibilities as staff members. By other principles, they should carry out their functions in accordance with all of the Organization's applicable regulations and procedures, and the process of choosing them should be transparent and based on as wide as possible a geographical basis.

A draft decision on strengthening the external oversight mechanisms, contained in the same report, would have the Assembly decide to resume consideration of the question of the strengthening of the external oversight mechanisms at the earliest possible stage of its fifty-second session.

The Committee's report on aspects of the 1996-1997 regular budget (document A/51/750/Add.3) recommends a draft decision on the construction of additional conference facilities in Addis Ababa by which the Assembly would authorize the Secretary-General to take steps necessary to settle outstanding claims on the facilities' construction, taking into account the Organization's interests. He would also be authorized to make final payments on the project from the construction-in-progress account.

The Committee's report on the pattern of conferences (document A/51/742/Add.1) recommends a draft resolution on access to the optical disk system (ODS) by which the Assembly would call upon the Secretary-General to ensure that ease of access and flow of information from the ODS to end-users, especially in States' capitals, is continuous. It would invite the Secretary- General to develop a policy for expanding access to the system, and request that the special needs of groups of potential users, including developing countries, be taken into account in formulating that policy. The Secretary- General would also be requested to continue work on providing equal access to the system in the Organization's six official languages.

The report on the scale of assessments (document A/51/747/Add.2) recommends a draft decision that would have the Assembly decide that the failure of Liberia, Tajikistan and the Comoros to pay amounts necessary to avoid the application of Article 19 of the Charter is due to conditions beyond their control and that they would be permitted to vote through the Assembly's fifty-second session.

The Fifth Committee's report on administrative and budgetary aspects of United Nations peacekeeping operations (A/51/753/Add.2) recommends a draft resolution on the Lessons Learned Unit that would have the Assembly decide to redeploy to the Unit, temporarily, for the period from 1 January to 30 June 1998, three posts funded from the support account for peacekeeping operations, to carry out the functions assigned them. The Assembly would revert to the issue in future budget considerations.

The Committee's report related to the Office of Internal Oversight Services (document A/51/741/Add.1) proposes a draft decision by which the

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Assembly would continue at its next session its consideration of the Secretary-General's report on the work of the Office for the period 1 July 1995 to 30 June 1996 and the comments of the Joint Inspection Unit on the final reports of the Office. The Secretary-General's report on enhancing internal oversight mechanisms in operational funds and programmes would also be looked at then.

Election of Judges of Former Yugoslavia Tribunal

The President of the Assembly drew attention to a letter from the Secretary-General (document A/51/958), which transmits a letter from the President of the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia asking that the terms of office of Judges Adolfo Karibi-Whyte, Elizabeth Odio Benito and Saad Saood Jan be extended until the completion of the Celebici case.

Next, the President drew attention to a letter from the President of the Security Council (document A/51/976), transmitting the text of resolution 1126 (1997) in which the Council endorsed the Secretary-General's above recommendation. JIN YUNGJIAN, from the Secretariat, said that regarding the budget implications of the Secretary-General's recommendations, additional costs estimated provisionally at $668,000 would arise. Of that amount, the estimated costs relating to the year 1997 ($152,000) could be met from within the 1997 appropriation adopted for the Tribunal by resolution 51/214 B. Additional costs for the year 1998 ($516,000) would be reported to the Assembly at its fifty-second session in the context of the 1998 proposed budget for the Tribunal.

The President proposed that the Assembly endorse the Secretary-General's recommendation. Acting without a vote, the Assembly did so.

Report of Working Group on Financial Situation

JEAN-LOUIS WOLZFELD (Luxembourg), on behalf of the European Union, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus, Liechtenstein and Norway, said that the Assembly had before it a draft to suspend the work of the high-Level open-ended working group on the financial situation of the Organization. Formed almost three years ago, that body had not been able to agree on any measure to solve the Organization's financial crisis. While such lack of agreement was regrettable, he expressed appreciation to those countries which had participated in the work.

The main cause for the Organization's financial problems was that certain Member States had not met their financial obligations under the Charter, he said. The contributions of the European Union amounted to 35.4 per cent of the regular budget and 37.9 per cent of peacekeeping budget. The States of the Union had always honoured their financial obligations.

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Concrete measures were needed to ensure a solid financial basis for the Organization, he continued. To that end, the Union had submitted a comprehensive set of proposals, including measures to accelerate payment of arrears and monitor the Organization's expenditures. It was essential that financial solutions to the existing problems be agreed upon, so that the Organization could fulfil its mandate in full. The Union was determined to participate fully and in a spirit of cooperation in that important endeavour.

The Assembly adopted the draft decision without a vote.

Action on Supplement to Agenda for Peace

JOSE LUIS BARBOSA LEAO MONTEIRO (Cape Verde) introduced the draft resolution on the supplement and reviewed some of its contents. He asked for its adoption without a vote.

The Assembly adopted the draft resolution without a vote and concluded its consideration of the agenda item.

Report of Working Group on Security Council Reform

The General Assembly adopted, without a vote, the draft decision in paragraph 10 of the report. It also concluded its consideration of that agenda Item.

Action on Fifth Committee Reports

IHOR HOUMENNY (Ukraine), Rapporteur of the Fifth Committee, introduced the Committee's reports and read out oral editorial revisions.

The Assembly first turned to the report on review of the Organization's administrative and financial functioning. Acting without a vote, it adopted the draft decision in that report on management in the United Nations.

Next, the Assembly adopted, without a vote, the resolution on gratis personnel, as orally revised. Also without a vote, it adopted the decision on strengthening external oversight mechanisms, contained in the same report.

Speaking in explanation of position, DAUDI MWAKAWAGO (United Republic of Tanzania), for the "Group of 77" developing countries and China, said that mandated activities required adequate resources. When a mandate was approved, there was the assumption that Member States would provide adequate resources for its implementation. If that principle were not respected, the Secretary- General would find himself in an unusual position, and would be forced to revert to other resources.

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The resolution adopted stipulated that gratis personnel be used only for certain purposes and in limited circumstances, he continued. Those personnel that did not fall under those criteria would be phased out. The Secretary- General should make all efforts to implement the resolution.

DULCE MARIA BUERGO (Cuba) said she fully endorsed the statement made by the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania. As the phasing out of gratis personnel was implemented, the Secretary-General should submit to the Assembly a report on all expenses required to cover real costs of operations. Gratis staff used should not be carrying out functions which could be carried out by Secretariat staff.

Next, the Assembly considered part IV of the Committee's report on programme budget for the biennium 1996-1997. Acting without a vote, it adopted the resolution contained in that report on construction of conference facilities at Addis Ababa.

The Assembly then turned to a report on pattern of conferences, and adopted the draft resolution, on access to the optical disk system, contained in that report, without a vote.

The Assembly next considered part III of the Committee's report on the scale of assessments. Again acting without a vote, the Assembly adopted the draft decision contained in the report, by which it decided that the failure of Liberia, Tajikistan and the Comoros to pay amounts necessary to avoid the application of Article 19 of the Charter was due to conditions beyond their control and that they would be permitted to vote through the Assembly's fifty- second session.

Next, the Assembly turned to the item on financing of peacekeeping operations. It adopted without a vote the draft resolution on the Lessons Learned Unit, contained in part IV of the report.

The Assembly then considered part II of the Committee's report on the agenda item "Report of the Secretary-General on the activities of the Offices of Internal Oversight Services". A draft decision contained in the report was adopted without a vote.

Statement by Assembly President

RAZALI ISMAIL, President of the fifty-first session of the General Assembly, said the session had been "a time of knuckling down to work and more work", minimizing the ceremonials, and of concentrating creative energies to overcome political wills in discord in an effort to advance the principles of the Charter and to reform the Organization. Having discarded the syndrome of "business as usual", which had resulted in a year's notional savings of $2 million, the General Assembly had laboured over various aspects of reform

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through the five working groups. There was also the presentation of the Secretary-General's blueprint to "quietly revolutionize" the Organization. "Reform fever aside, the year was notable also for the appointment of a new Secretary-General, the special session for the overall review and appraisal of the implementation of Agenda 21, and the tenth emergency special session on occupied territories."

It was a matter of some satisfaction that the General Assembly managed to complete the "Agenda for Development" and the work of the open-ended high- level working group on the strengthening of the United Nations system, but it must be noted how much was left unfinished in order to achieve consensus, he said. The fact that the "Agenda for Development" did not guarantee greater financial resources for the Organization's role in operationalizing development remained a disappointment for developing countries.

International cooperation came to a serious impasse at the special session, he continued. Governments could not even agree to a political declaration that would "honestly assess the Assembly record on implementing the commitments undertaken at the Rio Summit". The session neither set new targets nor catalysed resources for programmes, even when the subject of sustainable development held enormous appeal for governments and publics alike. With official development assistance in decline and the political leverage of transnational business in ascendance, it was doubtful whether pressure could be exerted to make a difference at the upcoming conference on climate change at Kyoto.

Although the Agenda for Peace had been adopted, if not in full, conflicts between countries on what constituted sovereignty on issues of peace and security continued to rear its head, with both sides claiming legitimacy, he said.

Twice this past year, the General Assembly had "flexed its muscle" in the absence of unanimity among permanent members of the Security Council on the issue of illegal Israeli actions in occupied East Jerusalem and the rest of the occupied Palestinian territories, he went on. "I would recommend seeking greater recourse in the General Assembly through the resolution 'Uniting for Peace' for those members who can not find due justice in the Security Council."

A comprehensive package to reform the Security Council remained a "tantalizing prospect", but countries had first to comprehend the universal aspirations for change in an Organization mired in governance that was less than democratic, he said. Security Council reform was delayed not only by those who did not want to redistribute power, but also by those who preferred the status quo and feared expansion. Unanimity on this politically loaded and complicated issue would never be possible. Nor would there be any kind of reform if the working group became the "amphitheatre for obstructionist views"

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that spoke of principles, but exploit the diversity of views and block discussions and the way forward.

The most disappointing and perhaps most crucial piece of unfinished business of the fifty-first session was the continuing stalemate over payment of arrears and of restoring fiscal stability to the Organization, he continued. The "financial crippling" of the Organization continued to obstruct the momentum for reform, preventing constructive negotiations for genuine reform of the Organization. Arguments about complicated legislative procedures, attaching arbitrary conditions to payments and using the media to cast a different version did not reduce what was simply a solemn treaty obligation. "Blind unilateralism will be the undoing of the United Nations", he said.

Every aspect of the Organization remained a stake and a prize in the escalating debate between the North and the South, he said. While it was evident that major countries valued highly the fact that reform should not in any manner affect their rights, developing countries, on the other hand, lacked capacity and were often disunited, at times stressing form over substance, even as their negotiating power declined while the coherence of other political groupings strengthened.

"The United Nations will not be strengthened if reform only concentrates on cost-effectiveness, efficiency and better coordination", he concluded. "Such objectives alone would divert attention from the United Nations real functions and Charter responsibilities. If the United Nations is to survive, it has to transform itself from an organization serving only the interests of States to one serving the interests of peoples living in an interdependent and global society."

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