UNITED NATIONS REFORM CONTINUES TO DOMINATE DISCUSSION IN ASSEMBLY, AS GENERAL DEBATE ENTERS THIRD WEEK
Press Release
GA/9325
UNITED NATIONS REFORM CONTINUES TO DOMINATE DISCUSSION IN ASSEMBLY, AS GENERAL DEBATE ENTERS THIRD WEEK
19971006 Foreign Ministers of Guinea-Bissau, Bhutan, Suriname, Botswana and Grenada Address AssemblyUnited Nations reform issues dominated the general debate in the General Assembly this afternoon, as several speakers outlined their views on Security Council expansion and the Secretary-General's proposals to restructure the Organization.
The Foreign Minister of Bhutan, Dawa Tsering, said it was important to understand what the Organization meant to different Member States before embarking on reform. For many large countries the United Nations was one of several means to pursue their national interests, whereas for smaller nations, it was the main forum for protecting and expressing their sovereignty. As they also relied heavily on the United Nations for their economic and social advancement, reform must take into account the aspirations of small developing countries.
The long debates, many issues and resolutions in the Assembly and Committees were beyond the capacity of smaller States to handle, he added. The Assembly's work must be refocused by taking a thematic approach to the issues before it, and its resolutions must provide the Secretariat with guidance and direction. The United Nations must also adopt more dynamic means of funds management, including prudent use of the financial markets.
The Foreign Minister of Suriname, Erroll G. Snijders, stressed the importance of more equitable representation on the Security Council, as well as reform aimed at enhancing its transparency. He said Caribbean and Latin American countries should be included in an expanded Council. Council reform should not result in discriminatory treatment between developed and developing States. The issue of the Council's working methods and the use of the veto must also be reviewed.
Also addressing the Assembly were the Foreign Ministers of Guinea- Bissau, Botswana and Grenada. The representatives of Poland, Burundi and the United Republic of Tanzania spoke in exercise of the right to reply.
The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, 7 October, to continue its general debate.
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its general debate. It was expected to hear statements by the Foreign Ministers of Guinea-Bissau, Bhutan, Surinam, Botswana and Grenada.
Statements
FERNANDO DELFIM DA SILVA, Foreign Minister of Guinea-Bissau, said that as the Organization underwent a complex transition, it could find new policies and proper structures to deal with the problems facing the international community. The Secretary-General's reform initiatives deserved the support of all Member States. The expansion and democratization of the Security Council were matters of priority. That important body should reflect, both in composition and decision-making capability, the concerns of all Member States. It should have a more transparent and geographically equitable basis. Africa should have two permanent seats on the Council. The candidacies of Japan, Germany and Brazil as permanent members deserved serious attention.
Despite the Organization's commitment to international peace and security, conflicts, causing loss of life and the massive displacement of refugees, were rife in several parts of the world, he said. Africa continued to provide tragic examples of such crises. In addition to ongoing conflicts, new tensions and crises had erupted in Sierra Leone, Congo and the Central African Republic. Of particular concern were the recent events in the region of the Middle East and the slow pace of implementation of the peace agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In East Timor the parties should show greater determination towards conflict resolution. The parties concerned in the Cuban embargoes should take the necessary steps to resolve them. Taiwan, Province of China, deserved to regain its rightful place in the Organization, out of respect for the principles of universality and State sovereignty. In his subregion, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) had experienced unprecedented success in managing the crisis in Liberia through the deployment of the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG).
He welcomed the adoption in Oslo of a Convention on the complete elimination of anti-personnel landmines and urged all countries to support it. Greater international support and the development of coherent policies were needed to combat worldwide poverty, particularly in Africa. Economic globalization had reduced the capacity of African countries to tackle socio- economic problems.
DAWA TSERING, the Foreign Minister of Bhutan, said that before embarking on the process of United Nations reform, it was important to understand what the Organization meant for different Member States. For many of the larger States, the United Nations was one of several means to pursue their national interests, whereas for smaller countries, it was the main Organization for the protection and expression of their sovereignty. Many smaller countries also relied heavily on the United Nations for their economic and social
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advancement. Reform must therefore take into account the aspirations of the majority of States, which were small developing countries.
He said there was merit in clustering together various divisions within the Secretariat in the areas of peace and security, humanitarian affairs, economic and social affairs and human rights. While the Assembly and existing consultative mechanisms would be used to interact with the Secretariat, there should be mechanisms by which the general membership could interact with the newly formed divisions. The role of the proposed Deputy Secretary-General should be clearly defined. Coordination among the key United Nations development agencies -- the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) -- must support and not disrupt ongoing programmes carried out with individual counties.
He said his country fully supported refocusing the Assembly's work. The long debates in the Assembly and the Committees, and the large number of issues discussed and resolutions adopted, were beyond the capacity of many smaller States to handle. Bhutan also supported taking a thematic approach to the issues, both within the plenary and in the Committees. The Assembly's resolutions provide the Secretariat with guidance and direction.
United Nations reform would not be possible unless the Organization was placed on sound financial footing, he said. The Secretary-General's proposal to establish a revolving credit fund was welcome. However, Member States must pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions. Negotiations on the scale of assessments should proceed in a manner acceptable to all Members. The United Nations must also adopt more dynamic means of fund management, including prudent use of the financial market. All legal restrictions to such an approach should be reviewed.
He said Bhutan fully supported the Non-Aligned view that expansion of the Security Council's permanent membership must include developed and developing countries and that there should be additional non-permanent seats. Japan, as one of the world's foremost economic and political Powers, qualified for permanent membership. Among the developing countries, India's case deserved consideration.
ERROLL G. SNIJDERS, Foreign Minister of Suriname, said the main thrust of his Government's development strategy lay in revitalizing and strengthening the country's production and export capacity as a main engine of growth, while maintaining financial and monetary stability. The struggle against poverty and social injustice represented its greatest challenge. It was imperative that the United Nations recognized the small, fragile and vulnerable economies of the Caribbean, including Suriname.
He said his country welcomed the call of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs for a renewed and concerted international commitment on a drug strategy, as well as for the convocation of a special session of the General Assembly on the issue in June 1998. However, the issue of financing
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for sustainable development was a matter of concern. Since the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), only four developed States had fulfilled their Agenda 21 commitment to the target of providing 0.7 per cent of their gross national product (GNP) as official development assistance (ODA). The donor community was urged to intensify its efforts to reverse the declining trend in ODA.
With respect to United Nations reform, he stressed the importance a more equitable representation on the Security Council. Reform of the Council should not only make its membership more representative and more legitimate, but should also enhance its transparency. The countries of the Caribbean and Latin America should be included in any expansion of the Council, in keeping with the principles of equitable geographic distribution and the sovereign equality of States. Council reform should not result in a discriminatory treatment between the developed and the developing countries. The question of working methods and of the veto were integral elements of Council reform. Suriname welcomed the Secretary-General's proposal for a comprehensive reform programme for the General Assembly geared towards strengthening the efficiency of the Secretariat and placing a stronger focus on economic and social development.
One of the best ways to re-establish trust in the United Nations was to enhance the impact of its development activities at the country level, he said. Suriname therefore endorsed the proposal for establishment of a "United Nations House". The United Nations should be made stronger, more effective and more efficient to meet the priorities set by all its Members -- not just the priorities of the economically strong and militarily powerful, but especially those of the weak and vulnerable States. Those States should be kept from becoming outsiders in the global economy.
MOMPATI S. MERAFHE, Foreign Minister of Botswana, said complex changes in the world required an enhanced role for the United Nations. Botswana welcomed the recent efforts to reform the United Nations. Complaints from some quarters that the reforms did not go far enough were preposterous. The Organization must not be downsized to the extent that it would lack the human and material resources to render services to the Member States, especially the developing countries. Reform should lead to a more efficient, effective and relevant United Nations.
No single country, region or group of countries had the right to dictate the reform agenda, he said. A balanced, fair and non-discriminatory reform agenda must take the wishes and interests of every Member State into account. The membership and working methods of the Security Council must be reformed to represent all the world's geographical regions. The debate on that issue must not become sterile or degenerate into a dialogue of the deaf. Also, every Member State must meet its financial obligations on time, in full and without conditions.
Although nations across Africa were rebuilding their economies and establishing democracies, deadly conflicts still beset the continent, he said.
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Bright spots included the end of fighting and the holding of free and fair elections in Liberia, and the overthrow of a 32-year-old dictatorship in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A final settlement was still out of reach in Angola, but hostilities there had not resumed. The international community should continue to keep a close eye on the situation in Somalia.
He called on all nations to support the Convention banning anti- personnel landmines -- a prohibition which should be extended to all weapons of mass destruction.
Economic and social problems still beleaguered several developing nations, he said. The number of countries with people living in poverty was rising, especially in Africa, while multilateral assistance was rapidly dwindling. Private capital flowed only to a few countries, and the United Nations lacked the resources to implement funds and programmes.
Macroeconomic stability, more open trade regimes in developed nations, stable financial systems, reasonable debt initiatives and greater financial flows from the developed countries were essential for development to take root, he said. The international community must support the capacity- building, infrastructure and manpower development programmes of developing countries. Achieving these goals required developed countries to change their political and economic orientations.
RAPHAEL FLETCHER, Foreign Minister of Grenada, said he was heartened by the Secretary-General's commitment to reform and reassured by his efforts to fashion a more effective and efficient United Nations system. Such an improved system should enhance the economic viability of small developing States. It was hoped that reform efforts would not be frustrated by the withholding of substantial assessed contribution payments by Member States.
The operation of the World Trade Organization (WTO) did not favour the smaller economies, he said. Its rules relating to agricultural products bore testimony to the injustice inflicted upon those who lived and laboured within the confines of small economies. Moreover, the Uruguay Round agreements required massive legislation by Grenada and most other developing countries by the end of the year 2000. So far, those agreements had created more burdens than benefits. While his Government continued to restructure its economy, the success of those policies depended on the support of multilateral financial institutions and of friendly countries with respect to training and the setting-up of enterprises and facilities.
He cited the proposal for a "global human order", such as the one enunciated by the late President of Guyana and corroborated by the leaders of the "Group of Seven" industrialized countries in their 1996 report "Globalisation for the Benefit of All". Such global order would result in the eradication of the crippling debt burden afflicting the poorest countries of the world. Within such an order, action would be taken against environmental degradation and towards sustainable economic development. Natural disasters, particularly in small island States, were a matter of particular concern. The
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devastation recently experienced in Montserrat trumpeted the need for a United Nations programme to deal with the aftermath of such natural destruction.
He welcomed the recent United Nations initiative concerning Haiti, as well as steps taken towards peace among the countries in Central America. Through the Association of Caribbean States, the countries of that region sought to widen and deepen the process of integration among the island States and those mainland States which shared the Caribbean Sea.
The illicit business of "narco-trafficking" was a threat not so much to territorial integrity but to security, he said. The small island States of the Caribbean had become primary and secondary transshipment centres between the large producers and the commensurately large consumers. The current United Nations Drug Control Programme was commendable, but it did not protect the people of Grenada, particularly its youth, against drug use and the blight which eventually afflicted small-scale transporters or so-called mules. The process of transshipment could be severely curtailed, if not completely eradicated, through concerted international action. Grenada also condemned the exploitation of children in any form.
He welcomed the recent conclusion of the Convention on the banning of anti-personnel landmines and urged a significant acceleration in their controlled destruction. Grenada unequivocally supported Security Council expansion through an increase in both its permanent and non-permanent membership. Such expansion should be characterized by the significant presence of developing countries. What was required of a reformed Council was greater equity of perception.
To those who subscribed to the principle of the right of a people to self-determination, the case for United Nations membership for the Republic of China on Taiwan was incontestable. Today, 21.3 million people practised democracy there. Their economic achievements were well known, as was their willingness to participate in the international community through membership in the United Nations.
Right of Reply
ZBIGNIEW MATUSZEWSKI (Poland) referred to a statement by the Foreign Minister of Belarus during a recent meeting of the plenary. He said he was "bemused" by the statement that if Belarus did not have a friendly Polish State but a military one as a neighbour, it would have to re-evaluate its military position. Did the Minister mean that Poland was likely to be replaced by a military organization? If he was referring to Poland's membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), he should realize that Poland wished to continue to be a friendly and cooperative neighbour of Belarus. Poland valued their friendly relationship and would spare no efforts to maintain it.
GAMALIEL NDARUZANIYE (Burundi) said a statement during Friday's plenary session by the United Republic of Tanzania had referred to its interest in the
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Burundi Government moving beyond the current crisis. The Burundian people were the main focus of any reconciliation efforts, without whom no outside intercession or assistance could work. For over a year there had been an increase in reconciliation efforts within the country. Obstacles to mediation efforts should be removed. Burundi was waiting for the venue and debate for resumed negotiations. The cause of the current conflict in Burundi was the result of many complex historical factors.
The economic blockade against Burundi only added to the trials of its people, he said. Those responsible for the blockade should remove it. Burundi had signed all international agreements relating to resolution of the refugee problem and was seeking to resolve the current crisis through peaceful negotiation.
Mr. JABIR (United Republic of Tanzania) said he wished to reiterate that the problems of Burundi were not bilateral but internal, and that the attempts to externalize them were unfortunate. It was up to the Burundian authorities to resolve their crisis and agree to a negotiated settlement. Accusations of partiality on the part of outside countries were unfortunate. His Government was committed to peaceful negotiations and settlement of the crisis in Burundi.
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