SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM SHOULD REDRESS LONG-STANDING IMBALANCE IN GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION, GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS TOLD

4 December 1997

Press Release
GA/9373

SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM SHOULD REDRESS LONG-STANDING IMBALANCE IN GEOGRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION, GENERAL ASSEMBLY IS TOLD

19971204 China Warns against `Quick Fix' That May Harm Developing Countries; United States Favours Permanent Seats for Japan, Germany

Reform of the Security Council should first and foremost redress the long-standing imbalance in geographical representation, particularly between the developed and developing countries, the representative of China told the General Assembly this afternoon, as the Assembly continued its consideration of Council reform. He said developing countries represented more than two thirds of the United Nations membership and had an ever-growing influence on world affairs.

He said the Assembly should be especially vigilant against the "quick- fix" idea of a small number of countries for the early admission of additional members to the Council. The proposal was an excuse to discriminate against developing countries.

The Foreign Secretary of Pakistan said the deadlock over reform stemmed from fundamental differences. Some felt there should be only a couple of extra permanent members. Others wanted to reconsider all reform issues, including the very concept of permanent membership and whether some countries deserved permanent status in view of their dwindling fortunes. He said there was no justification in allocating another seat to the European Union. If the reform process were to move forward, the positions of the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Group, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab Group must be taken into account.

The representative of Nigeria said the anomaly of non-African representation in the Council's permanent membership should be urgently corrected. African countries accounted for almost one third of United Nations membership. Their collective decision to seek two permanent seats could not be ignored and the modalities of that representation should be left to Africa.

The United States' representative said his country supported an expansion of the Council, to strengthen its capacity while safeguarding its decision-making efficiency and effectiveness. It supported Japan and Germany as new permanent members, and favoured as many as three new permanent members

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from developing countries. A membership of 20 to 21 would mean an increase by one third of the Council's current size, and preserve its decision-making capacity.

The representative of the Ukraine said present political realities had made the veto obsolete and the focus should be on limiting, not expanding, its use. Ukraine supported increased representation of developing countries from Africa, from Asia and from Latin America and the Caribbean. The eastern European countries should also have an additional non-permanent seat.

Statements were also made by Swaziland, Egypt, Sweden, Argentina, Japan, Lebanon, Syria, Canada, Turkey, Malaysia, Colombia, Spain, Malta, Lithuania, Latvia, Slovenia, San Marino, Fiji, Belgium, Viet Nam, El Salvador, Paraguay and Portugal.

The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 5 December, to continue its consideration of Security Council reform.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its consideration of the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. It had before it a draft resolution on the subject (document A/52/L.7), as well as a series of proposed amendments to it (document A/52/L.47). (For details, see Press Release GA/9372 of 4 December.)

Statements

MOSES M. DLAMINI (Swaziland) said the issue of permanent membership was at the very heart and soul of Security Council reform. Swaziland supported the proposal that at least two permanent seats should be given to each region. Those seats should be subject to nomination by their regional groups for eventual election by the General Assembly. That method would reduce and ultimately remove the focus on narrow national interests that currently characterized decisions of the Council.

He expressed support for the position of the Non-Aligned Movement regarding the veto. With the ending of the cold war and the emergence of a new international world order, the continuation of the veto power could no longer be justified. Regrettably, however, it would remain a permanent feature. Nevertheless, in the context of interdependence, where consultation and consensus characterized decision-making, the veto no longer served any useful purpose.

He said that further measures should be taken by the Council to enhance its working methods and procedures and to improve its working relationship with other United Nations organs, particularly the General Assembly. The paper by the Non-Aligned Movement would go a long way in laying a foundation, together with those reform measures already undertaken by the Council, for substantive discussions of the matter.

QIN HUASUN (China) said the core issue on reform of the Security Council was how to enlarge it. Enlargement should follow the principle of equitable geographical distribution and ensure a proper balance between the developing and developed countries. Developing countries represent more than two thirds of the United Nations membership and had an ever-growing influence on world affairs. Reform of the Council should first and foremost reflect that change and redress the long-standing imbalance in geographical representation, particularly between the developed and developing countries.

While a small number of countries were still supporting the "quick-fix" proposal of first admitting some countries into the Council, the Assembly should be especially vigilant against that idea, he added. That proposal was being used as an excuse to practice double standards and discriminate against

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developing countries. The legitimate demand for sufficient representation of developing countries was widely recognized and supported by all countries.

As the only developing country among the Council's permanent members, China had always worked actively to improve the Council's working methods and to enhance its transparency, he said. While holding the presidency of the Council last month, China had paid much attention to improving the efficiency of the Council's work. Upon the request of its members, preliminary discussions on questions of interest to a vast number of Member States were also arranged. China was ready to discuss possible ways to further improve the Council's working methods.

While China supported enlargement of the Council, full and patient discussions and consultations should be conducted to approach consensus, he said. Any actions such as setting a deadline for the reform or forcing a vote on certain proposals when conditions were not yet ripe would have serious consequences. The Open-Ended Working Group should continue to consider the various reform plans and proposals in a fair and reasonable manner.

NABIL ELARABY (Egypt), speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said that at a meeting of its Foreign Ministers in September, reform and expansion of the Security Council was considered. Stressing the need to attain general agreement on both issues, they reaffirmed their determination to comply with the provisions of Article 108 of the Charter with respect to any resolution with Charter amendment implications. They recognized that the issue of restructuring the Council should be treated as a matter of urgency, reaffirming that efforts at restructuring should not be subject to any time- frame and that no effort should be made to decide on the issue before general agreement was attained. (Article 108 addresses requirements for amending the Charter.)

He said the Foreign Ministers had also affirmed a number of guiding principles. Both reform and expansion of the Council should be considered as integral parts of a common package that took account of the sovereign equality of States and the principle of equitable geographical distribution, as well as the need for transparency, accountability and democratization in the Council's working methods and procedures, including its decision-making process. The gross underrepresentation of the Non-Aligned States in the Council should be corrected by its enlargement. Attempts to exclude them from any enlargement in the Council's membership would be unacceptable. The Council should be increased by no less than 11 seats. The negotiation process should be truly democratic and transparent and should always be held in an open-ended setting.

Speaking then on behalf of his own country, he said there should be no haste to reach half-solutions or compromises. Egypt rejected any quick-fix efforts. The increase and reform of the Council should not be limited to an increase in permanent seats for the developed countries at the expense of the

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less developed countries. Any Council expansion should take account of the principle of equitable geographical representation. Any improvement or increase to the Council should be undertaken subject to article 108 of the United Nations Charter, which constituted a safety net. The principle of rotating seats should also be considered as an important issue for review. If there should be lack of consensus on membership, the number of non-permanent seats should be increased.

The major crises of the times affected the developing world, making it important for them to be more active in decision-making and planning mechanisms such as the Council, he said. Egypt supported the position of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) that Africa should have two rotating permanent seats. In seeking to reach agreement on which countries should be elected to permanent seats, such issues as future development, history, geographic location and contributions to peacekeeping -- including efforts to preserve peace in a specific region -- should be considered. Egypt's regional and international contributions in the framework of Africa, the Arab States and international community would qualify it to shoulder the responsibility of permanent membership. It would, however, continue to support the OAU position.

The rules of procedure of the Council were still provisional after 50 years, and there was no clearly agreed system concerning the use and the scope of the veto, he said. Egypt and the Non-Aligned Movement felt that it was high time for the Assembly to consider the practice of the veto, in order to control and limit its scope. The actual practice with respect to the veto today did not have a legal foundation and should be revised.

ISAAC E. AYEWAH (Nigeria) said current permanent members of the Security Council must show willingness not to regard the exercise of the veto as an exclusive privilege, to be guarded jealously and used at whim to override the legitimate concerns of the majority of Member States. On the composition and size of the Council, he said the current anomaly of non-African representation in the permanent membership deserved urgent correction. Africa not only had the largest number of United Nations Member States, but those States collectively constituted almost one third of the Organization's general membership. The collective decision of Africa to seek a two seat representation in the permanent membership category could not be ignored; the modalities of that representation should be left to Africa.

While it was important not to indulge in interminable debates on the question of Security Council reform, he said, an agreement should not be rushed into. The status quo could not be accepted, and no justification should be given to those States who opposed reform or expansion of the Council to persevere in their negative stance. Those already overrepresented in the Council could not be given reason to be over-confident, self assured or unwilling to accept the need for reform.

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He said substantial work had been done in terms of the preparatory processes of reform, but the stage of voting on any package had not been reached. He charged the Open-Ended Working Group during the current session to redouble its efforts in all objectivity and equity, to come up with concrete proposals that would address in a holistic manner and not piecemeal all the issues regarding the increase in permanent and non-permanent membership, working methods and the question of equitable geographical distribution of seats in the Council.

VOLODYMYR YEL'CHENKO (Ukraine) said the Council needed a more representative character, more support from Member States and a higher level of legitimacy. The representation of all regional groups, including the eastern European one, should be increased; enlargement should not diminish the Council's efficiency; and the enlargement process should not have strict time limits, although the decision should be made in the near future.

He said Ukraine supported increased representation of the developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. The eastern European countries should also have an additional non-permanent seat.

Present political realities had made the veto obsolete, he said. The focus should be on limiting, not expanding, its use. Ukraine supported the restricted application of the veto by the permanent members. Modifications might limit the number of times permanent members could use the veto only in their national interests, to the detriment of the interests of the international community. Ukraine welcomed the progress made by the Working Group in the area of improving the Council's working methods, but those improvements could not be named "reform". Since reaching a consensus on Security Council reform was obviously impossible now, it was hoped that the Working Group would resume its work in January.

HENRIK SALANDER (Sweden), speaking also on behalf of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway, said the combination of non-permanent and permanent members made the Security Council more broadly representative and provided continuity to its work. The Nordic countries were therefore in favour of an increased number of permanent members. It also seemed clear that there was strong support for Germany and Japan as new permanent members, together with developing country Member States from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The veto power was a unique aspect of Security Council decision-making which had both paralysed the Organization and held it together during the cold war, he said. However, with the end of the cold war the exercise of the veto had become rare -- although not extinct -- in the Council. The new international situation had created opportunities for unity and for a truly cooperative approach to Security Council decision-making. The Nordic countries would like to see concerted action to reduce the role of the veto. The permanent members should be strongly encouraged to minimize its use. In

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the context of Charter amendments relation to enlargement of the Council, the use of the veto might be excluded in certain specific situations.

Most countries what were ready to accept permanent Council membership had also expressed the wish to acquire the veto, he said. However, it would be difficult to combine that aspiration with the requirements of efficient decision-making in the Council. It would not be ideal to have perhaps 10 countries with veto power as the Council was presently constituted. It might then again become paralysed on a number of issues. Even if that did not occur, such a change could marginalize the Council's non-permanent members.

SHAMSHAD AHMAD, Foreign Secretary of Pakistan, said that in March the paper of the then-Chairman of the Working Group was criticized because it did not correspond to the positions of the major groups, such as the Non-Aligned Movement. The Movement had proposed expanding the Council from 15 to 26 members, while the then-Chairman claimed the mainstream supported just 24.

The Movement proposed one additional seat for the eastern European States Group, four for the Asian Group, four for the African Group and two for the Latin American and Caribbean Group. The Chairman's paper said the mainstream supported two permanent seats for the industrialized States and one permanent seat each to developing States in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as one non-permanent seat each to the African Group, the Asian Group, the Eastern European States and the Latin American and Caribbean States.

He said the paper of the then-Chairman proposed that the Assembly decide on matters relating to the Council's composition and voting procedure, but it made recommendations only on matters relating to the working methods of the Security Council, including the permanent members' right of veto. He said he wondered how that could have been the "mainstream view" when the Non-Aligned Movement had demanded that use of the veto be confined to actions under Chapter VII of the Charter.

More disturbing was the proposal to expand the Council in stages. First, a framework resolution would be passed by simple majority. Second, the new permanent members would be elected by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting. Third, the Charter would be amended in accordance with Article 108. He said the intention was to "bulldoze the process forward through salami tactics by expanding the Council through a simple majority vote of the Assembly".

Against such a backdrop, he went on, Pakistan and 21 other countries tabled the draft resolution before the Assembly. It was not intended to delay or derail reform, as some aspirants alleged. The main aim was to make sure any Council reform had the broadest possible support.

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The deadlock over reform today stemmed from fundamental differences, he said. Some felt that only a couple of members should be added as permanent members. Others wanted to reconsider all issues relating to reform, including the very concept of permanent membership and whether some countries deserved permanent member status in view of their dwindling fortunes. Among other issues were need to reform the Council based on the principles of equitable geographical representation and sovereign equality of States; the need to make the Council's working methods more transparent; and the need to curtail the use of the veto. In any case, he said, there was no justification in allocating another seat to the European Union.

If the process were to move forward, the positions of the Non-Aligned Movement, the African Group, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and the Arab Group must be taken into account. If that were not possible, the non-permanent membership should be expanded for the time being. Pakistan was against any enlargement of the permanent membership, since that concept was against the principle of the sovereign equality of States.

FERNANDO PETRELLA (Argentina) said there were two aspects to Security Council reform. The first dealt with the changes in methods of work of the Council aimed at increasing transparency and participation of the rest of the Member States. Despite some agreement, no real progress had been made. The second related to increasing Council membership, on which the differences among Member States were substantial and could not be overcome with mere words or procedural mechanisms.

It was difficult to expect that the Council would improve or be more democratic by the mere addition of more members. The expansion sought by many would also bring with it what many did not desire, namely more discriminations. The Secretary-General had stated that United Nations reform was a process; the reform of the Security Council was also a phased process in the context of an international system that was evolving painfully.

HISASHI OWADA (Japan) said it was no exaggeration to say that the world's future would depend on whether Member States were successful in creating a new United Nations and its new Security Council, capable of dealing effectively with issues the international community was expected to face. The Open-Ended Working Group should engage in concrete negotiations on major outstanding issues. A framework for reform should include measures to improve the Council's working methods and decision-making process.

A political decision on the size of an expanded membership was essential, he said. Equitable representation which realistically reflected the present international system should be harmoniously balanced by the need to ensure the Council's efficiency and effectiveness. Serious negotiations on the selection of permanent members from the developing countries should reflect the particular characteristics of different regions, so a viable

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solution would emerge as soon as possible. The problem of the veto had to be dealt with seriously and sensitively, in the context of a proposed expansion.

Given the highly complex nature of Council reform, any attempt to seek a hasty solution through a guillotine clause with a rigid and unrealistic time- frame would be inappropriate, he said. Revitalizing the Council to more effectively address regional conflicts and pursue development in an environment of peace and stability should be a common pursuit of all countries, particularly developing ones.

SAMIR MOUBARAK (Lebanon) said a relaxed, friendly environment was required to reach results on Council reform. Unfortunately, no agreement existed, although reform was urgent and should be carried out soon. Given its impact on world politics, and in particular in the Arab world, the endeavour must not be hampered by a deadline. It was time for fresh ideas to reach a solution. The document adopted in September by the Non-Aligned Movement was crucial. It stated that any reform would have to be carried out in accordance with Article 108 of the Charter, which precluded reform by simple majority. Abiding by Article 108 was essential in any aspect of the reform. Unfortunately, the two-thirds majority vote it required was currently impossible to obtain. Hopefully, the agreement would be reached in 1998.

It was important to adopt a single criterion for the election of permanent and non-permanent members, he said. Reform and expansion should be part of a common package, which took account of the principle of equitable distribution and transparency. The reform process should increase the number of permanent and non-permanent seats, and that enlargement should correct the imbalance in the Council's composition and reflect the United Nations universal character. The Arab proposal in May, which had the unanimous support of Arab States, requested the allocation of at least two non-permanent seats. Also, in the event of permanent membership expansion, it requested one permanent seat with full privileges, on a rotational basis.

MIKHAIL WEHBE (Syria) said he supported the statement by Egypt on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. The increase in membership of the United Nations was reflected in all the work of the Organization except the Security Council. There was an urgent need to reflect the views of Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean on the Council if it was to become more transparent and efficient. As recommended by the League of Arab States, a permanent seat should be rotated among the Arab States. At least two non-permanent seats should be allocated to the Arab States, since they had matters to be discussed daily before the Council. Syria also supported the Non-Aligned position that the Council should be expanded to comprise 26 members, based on equitable geographical distribution.

A hasty increase in the Council's membership could not conform with the principles of the sovereign equality of States and equitable geographical

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distribution, he said. Expansion should not be subjected to any time-frame which would prevent the arrival at a formula that would reflect the interests of Member States fairly. Such expansion, and improvement of the Council's working methods, should be seen as a whole and addressed in a transparent manner.

Faithful commitment to the contents of Article 108 of the Charter was the duty of every State, he said. Any attempt to circumvent the Charter would harm the United Nations credibility and its ability to deal with matters relating to its future. Similarly, any attempt to ignore the right of the Non-Aligned countries to permanent seats on the Council was unacceptable and was not in line with the principles of democracy and transparency. There was also a need to minimize the use of the veto, with a view to abolishing it. No decision should be taken now, while the matter of Council reform was still under discussion.

ROBERT R. FOWLER (Canada) said he doubted there was a more important issue, or one that would have a longer and more profound effect on the United Nations, than Council reform. Whether or not the Organization was able to evolve successfully to meet the manifold challenges of the next century would depend in large part on making the right decision about such reform. A wrong choice would likely impair the growth of the United Nations.

Two of the more prominent proposals for expansion of the Security Council blurred the concepts of permanent and non-permanent membership, he said. Those were the idea of rotation among selected States for a "regional Council seat", and the Italian proposal -- which Canada had viewed with considerable sympathy -- under which States would be elected to periodic terms on the Council from a group of countries which had made a significant contribution to the values and work of the Organization. The latter would allow them to rotate in and out of the Council on a regular and predictable basis.

He said that Canada would continue to oppose any proposal which could not attract general agreement. The concept of addition of new permanent members currently seemed to be creating unbridgeable divisions. If agreement on that were to remain elusive, expansion of the Council's non-permanent membership might be the best course to follow. Canada would also oppose any proposal which had the effect of marginalizing countries like his own, which, while not the biggest, most populous, most powerful or rich, were highly committed to helping achieve the goals of the United Nations.

HUSEYIN E. CELEM (Turkey) said reform of the Security Council constituted the most serious attempt in years to enhance the role and moral authority of that important organ of the United Nations. It was therefore necessary to ensure that the reform of the Council, entailing both its enlargement and working methods, corresponded to the justified expectations of

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the largest possible segment of the membership. The reform efforts had to take into consideration the fundamental changes which had taken place in the world since the founding of the United Nations, as well as the evolving nature of the distribution of international power. It was necessary to acknowledge that a significant and increasing number of countries had gained prominence and ever widening economic and political influence in their respective regions.

Emerging powers, with relatively higher capability and willingness than others to contribute to regional and international peace and security and to the enhancement of international cooperation, should be given the opportunity to serve with more frequency on the Security Council, he said. That was the logic that had shaped Turkey's position on the issue of Council enlargement. Turkey was against hasty and excessively pragmatic attempts at determining the outcome of Council reform. Moves to cut short the due process of the reform would not only compromise the possibility of success, but would also seriously undermine the authority and credibility of the Security Council and the United Nations. To move prematurely into a negotiation phase while the concept of an outcome was still elusive would not serve the Organization's purpose and would only add to its frustration.

HASMY AGAM (Malaysia) said that as a result of four years of deliberations, there was a common desire for a reform of the Security Council that would best reflect the realities of the times. It was essential that the Council be enlarged commensurate with the dramatic enlargement in the membership of the United Nations since its inception. There was clear support for enlargement of both its permanent and non-permanent membership. What was still not clear was the size of the enlargement, how the new permanent members were to be selected and whether or not they should enjoy veto power. Continued efforts to ascertain whether or not there was a possibility of reaching general agreement on those key aspects of Council reform were needed.

If progress was to be achieved, compromises would have to be made, he said. For instance, there was a clear need on the part of a number of Member States to move away from their current position of limiting Council enlargement to a maximum of 21 members. That was clearly unacceptable to the overwhelming majority of the Assembly. There was also a need to clarify further the manner in which the new permanent members were to be selected. That issue would include the concept of permanent regional rotation, which a number of countries, including his own, had promoted. The upcoming sessions of the Working Group should invite the African Group to elaborate on its idea of rotating permanent seats for Africa -- which should be of interest and relevance to other regions as well.

BILL RICHARDSON (United States) said his Government supported an expansion of the Council which strengthened its capacity while safeguarding its decision-making efficiency and effectiveness. For that reason, the United

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States would support Japan and Germany as new permanent members who would strongly enhance the Council's role at the centre of negotiations concerning threats to international peace and security. The world's developing regions should also be represented, and the United States would agree to accept as many as three new permanent members from developing countries. It was open- minded as to whether those seats should be named, rotational or based on some other arrangement. That was for the Member States to decide.

He said expansion of the Council up to 20 or 21 members would mean an increase by one third of its current size. That number preserved the Council's decision-making capacity on peace and security matters. The United States intended to work together with like-minded countries, in coming months, to achieve a model of Council reform which would satisfy and reconcile the various objectives of Member States. In other words, it would work for stronger and broader representation, continued decision-making effectiveness and greater transparency. The United States was also committed to further procedural changes to increase transparency and would continue to seek ways to broaden and regularize the opportunity for non-members, particularly troop contributors and others with a direct interest, to contribute to the Council's work.

ANDELFO J. GARCIA (Colombia) said enlargement and reform of the Security Council and the question of the veto should be addressed simultaneously. Reform must respect the principles of equitable geographical representation and the sovereign equality of States. The number of seats on the Council should be increased to at least 26. Any reform that discriminated between developed and developing countries or between developing countries themselves was unacceptable. If no agreement on overall reform were reached, at least the number of non-permanent members should be increased.

He said the veto was anti-democratic and contrary to the principle of the sovereign equality of States. The Charter must be amended so that the veto applied only to those measures adopted by virtue of Chapter VII. The final objective should be abolition of the veto altogether. It was necessary to give more detailed consideration to proposals submitted to the Working Group. Negotiations should be open-ended and transparent. Colombia endorsed the resolve of the Non-Aligned Movement to ensure that Article 108 was complied with in regard to amending the Charter.

INOCENCIO F. ARIAS (Spain) said there was unanimity among Member States that enhancing the working methods of the Security Council and its transparency was an important element in its reform process. Consideration of compromise proposals for the reform of decision making in the Council, including the veto, must continue. Spain had suggested that on the basis of the distinctions established in Article 27 of the United Nations Charter, three types of Council decisions could be established -- procedural matters that would be adopted by an absolute majority; substantive matters not related

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to Chapter VII which would require the same special qualified majority, without the right of veto; and substantive matters related to Chapter VII that would require the same qualified majority, but with the possibility to exercise the right of veto.

He said Spain favoured an increase in the membership of the Council that would enhance its representative character, making the Council more balanced and democratic, while at the same time maintaining its capacity for efficiency and rapidity in its deliberations and decision-making processes. Such an increase would allow for a more frequent presence in the Council of those States which contributed significantly in the work of the Organization, particularly to the maintenance of international peace and security.

GEORGE SALIBA (Malta) said the political impact of the reform of the Security Council on international relations necessitated caution and the need to ensure general agreement on any final outcome. The sensitivity attached to the matter was justifiable, given the overall effect that any reform would have on the manner in which the Organization functioned, as well as on the role of Member States in its important decisions. Useful progress had been achieved with respect to the working methods of the Council, as witnessed in the discussion held on the basis of a paper presented by the Non-Aligned Movement.

The continued development of agreement on enhancing transparency in the Council's working methods was of paramount importance, he said. Whatever the final outcome on the question of expansion, the large majority of States would remain, for the most part, excluded from a continued presence on the Council. It was thus the issue of increased transparency of the Council and its enhanced relationship with the Assembly which was of direct relevance and importance for the larger membership of the Organization.

Expansion should be achieved by increasing the number of non-permanent seats on the Council, he said. The balance between the different categories of membership should not be changed to favour the permanent status. It was the non-permanent category which best reflected the democratic principle and needed to be enhanced. There was a clear link between the overall size of the Council and its categories of membership.

Expansion in the permanent category would set a precedent for future expansions of that kind, given that current decisions would be taken on criteria which were themselves changing, he said. That, in turn, could lead to an erosion of the concept of rotation. Provisions to prohibit immediate re-election to the non-permanent category would guarantee the ability of all Member States to serve on the Council. The Non-Aligned position that to overcome lack of agreement on the increase of other categories of membership, expansion should for the time being take place in the non-permanent category, should be considered. Malta did not favour extending the right of veto, which

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should be limited to Chapter VII matters, with a view to its eventual elimination.

OSKARAS JUSYS (Lithuania) said one of the reasons reform was stalled was that the five permanent members of the Security Council did not want their privileges taken away, diluted or shared. On geographical representation, he said the group of Eastern European States was under-represented. The larger and better balanced the Council's membership, the more views had to be taken into account before a decision was made. That could ensure greater credibility and wider recognition of the Council's decisions, and thus greater acceptance of its authority on the ground.

He said reform must accommodate the legitimate interests of every State. One of the suggestions he offered was that a middle ground be found on the size of the enlarged Security Council. A compromise could possibly be reached where there was an expansion of one category, perhaps non-permanent, on the understanding that the other category would be enlarged reasonably soon thereafter. The five permanent members might agree to limit, by voluntary declarations, the scope of application of their veto right to Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter.

JANIS PRIEDKALNS (Latvia) said the primary aim of the United Nations was the creation of an environment among nations conducive to the development and maintenance of international peace and security. Therefore, the questions of equitable representation on, and increase in membership of, the Security Council were of paramount importance for long-term global stability. Progress towards that goal must acknowledge the diversity of today's world and the valuable contributions to global security that developing nations and small nations were able to make.

A realistic basis for effective Security Council functioning would include the concept of permanent membership for Member States with large populations and significant economic and security systems, he said. At the same time, non-permanent membership would offer other States opportunities to contribute to the maintenance of global justice, peace and security. A Member State, no matter how small in terms of population, might prove to be a worthwhile and valuable contributor to the debate on global security. A rotating Council membership for those States would more effectively represent the global diversity of today's world than models offering limited membership opportunities.

NICOLA FILIPPI BALESTRA (San Marino) said his country was a co-sponsor of the draft because it was convinced of the need for an increase in the membership of the Security Council. Such an important decision had to be adopted by consensus, and he acknowledged that in the present political situation that kind of consensus was not achievable. That was why his delegation gave particular importance to the provisions contained in Article

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108, and believed a two-thirds majority of Member States should apply to all decisions with Charter amendment implications.

He said San Marino favoured an increase in the non-permanent member category since it would assure a better participation of all countries in the Council, with a more equitable geographical representation. San Marino believed that reform had to be done, but gradually. As for the increase of the permanent members and their veto power, it seemed clear that a wide consensus did not exist. Too many obstacles were still present and too many questions had not been fully answered. It was undesirable that a few countries had privileges on the basis of their dimension or economic power. It could constitute a dangerous precedent to be applied to other important organs of the United Nations system.

POSECI W. BUNE (Fiji) said the Council's permanent membership should be increased by five, with one additional seat each going to Japan, Germany, the developing States of Asia, the developing States of Latin America and the Caribbean, and the developing States of Africa. The new permanent members should have the same powers, including the veto, as the current five. But, if retained at all, the use of the veto should be limited to issues related to Chapter VII of the Charter.

The non-permanent members, he said, should be increased by seven, with four additional seats going to Africa and Asia, and one each to eastern Europe, to Latin America and the Caribbean, and for Western Europe and others.

He said the current configuration of regional groups should be reviewed and their number expanded to take account of geographical and post-cold war realities. The Pacific Group of States, which included 14 Pacific Island States, Australia and New Zealand, should be recognized as a distinct sub- group of the Asian Group. The Council's present structure, with permanent and non-permanent members, as well as members with the right of veto and members without, was inequitable, undemocratic and outmoded. A discriminating caste system could not exist within an organization espousing democracy, human rights and the sovereign equality of States. The focus should not be numbers but real change. The right of veto should be subject to the right of appeal by another permanent member to the Assembly for a final decision by a two- thirds majority vote. He said Fiji called for the convening in 2000 of a Summit Conference of Heads of State and Government to draft a new United Nations Charter.

ALEX REYN (Belgium) suggested an increase in both categories of members, enlarging the Council to more than 21 States; the election by the Assembly of the new permanent members; limitation of the scope of the veto; and periodic review. He said the decision to limit the right of veto must be seriously considered and go hand in hand with the decision to enlarge the Council. The interests of medium-sized Powers that contributed human, logistic and

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financial resources, especially to peacekeeping operations, must be taken into account and their role reviewed by the Council.

He said the principle of regional rotation membership would be very difficult to implement, and would introduce further discrimination. Including it in the final reform package would put a general agreement further out of reach. Reform required the consensus of as many Member States as possible. The ideas developed in the informal groups should be examined by the Working Group in a transparent way, and then be submitted to the Assembly for approval.

NGO QUANG XUAN (Viet Nam) said the enormous increase in the membership of the United Nations, from 51 to 185, mostly by the participation of developing countries, must be taken into consideration in efforts to reform the United Nations and the Security Council. Currently, developing countries were grossly under-represented on the Council. Reform and expansion of the Council must take into account the principles of sovereign equality of Member States, equitable geographical distribution, accountability, democratization and transparency in the Council's working methods and procedures, including its decision-making process.

He said Viet Nam shared the views of the Non-Aligned Movement regarding the issues of efficiency, expansion, democratization and transparency. The proposal for nine more members, five permanent and four non-permanent, seemed reasonable. On the veto, he reaffirmed his support for the proposal that its use should be curtailed, with a view to its ultimate elimination. For the time being, the veto power should apply only to actions taken under Chapter VII of the Charter.

GUILLERMO A. MELENDEZ-BARAHONA (El Salvador) speaking for the Central American countries, said those countries had participated in, and followed closely, the work of the Open-Ended Working Group on Security Council Reform. Despite commendable efforts, there was, however, little optimism over progress in fundamental reforms.

He said his region favoured an adequate increase in permanent and non- permanent members of the Council. The veto should be confined to issues under Chapter VII of the Charter. On the working methods and procedures of the Council, he said that even though there had been improvements, there was still a need for further action. The Council should move towards greater transparency and democracy. If the United Nations was to respond to the problems of its peoples, including the developing nations, reform of its principle organs, including the Council, was imperative.

BERNADINO HUGO SAGUIER CABALLERO (Paraguay) said the United Nations needed a reformed and strengthened Security Council to deal with future problems facing the world. There had been progress by the Open-Ended Working

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Group, but deep differences still remained. It was important to keep in mind that a majority supported an increase in both the permanent and non-permanent membership of the Council. It would not be possible to achieve a consensus on such a complex issue, but Member States must strive for the widest agreement possible. As a member of the Rio Group of Latin American counties, Paraguay supported the declaration made at the Summit in August by the Heads of State and Government.

He said the Assembly was facing a historic moment on Council reform, and he proposed that a Latin American country should gain a permanent seat. Regional mechanisms needed to be established, he went on, to help decide the basis of enlargement. In current circumstances, the veto should be restricted exclusively to matters coming under Chapter VII of the Charter.

JOSE TADEU SOARES (Portugal) said his country agreed that Security Council enlargement should include both categories of members, and take into account new political and economic realities and the need for equitable distribution. The new permanent members should also have veto power, but that power should be limited in general. All permanent members must be subject to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice.

He noted the wide range of ideas which had been explored and said consensus was desirable. His Government welcomed the Assembly President's decision that no action would be taken, but action could not be put off forever. All decisions regarding the reform of the Council must abide by Article 108. Work should begin in January with a view to winning broad support and reconciling the views of the greatest possible number.

The President of the Assembly, HENNADIY UDOVENKO (Ukraine), announced that the Assembly would continue its consideration of the agenda item tomorrow morning and afternoon, until the list of speakers was exhausted. Consideration of the reports of the First Committee, originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, would take place on Tuesday, 9 December, in the morning. That afternoon, the Assembly would consider the draft resolutions on the question of Palestine as the first item, and then take up the draft resolutions and amendments on the situation in the Middle East. He said the agenda item originally scheduled for 9 December -- on assistance in mine clearance -- had been postponed to a date to be announced.

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