CHINA OPPOSED TO ANY UNILATERAL ACTIONS TO SET CEILING FOR PEACEKEEPING ASSESSMENTS, THAT COUNTRY'S REPRESENTATIVE TELLS SPECIAL COMMITTEE
Press Release
GA/PK/159
CHINA OPPOSED TO ANY UNILATERAL ACTIONS TO SET CEILING FOR PEACEKEEPING ASSESSMENTS, THAT COUNTRY'S REPRESENTATIVE TELLS SPECIAL COMMITTEE
19990325 Special Peacekeeping Committee Continues General DebateChina was opposed to unilateral actions by any country to set a ceiling for its peacekeeping assessments and to shift financial burdens or impose discriminatory financial arrangements on developing countries, that country's representative told the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations as it met this morning to continue its general debate.
He said that the present scale of assessments for peacekeeping operations had been approved by the General Assembly with the agreement of all Member States, which did not constitute any grounds for arrears in payment. In the same vein, New Zealand's representative said that the continuing non-payment of arrears by some States, including the largest contributor, continued to hinder the United Nations in carrying out its Charter responsibilities.
The representative of Sierra Leone said that, based on the current situation in his country, the future of United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa might depend on the quality of collaboration between the world body and regional and subregional organizations. The provision of technical and logistical support to the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) was not an act of charity, but the fulfilment of a responsibility, consistent with the United Nations Charter.
While it was the primary responsibility of the Security Council to maintain international peace and security, the representative of the United Republic of Tanzania said, enhancing African capacity should be directed at complementing that responsibility rather than replacing it. It was imperative that the United Nations took a leading and coordinating role in that aspect.
Also speaking about the role of regional organizations in Africa, the representative of Burkina Faso said that one way to overcome crises could be to increasingly entrust crisis management to regional and subregional organizations. The Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Southern African
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Development Community (SADC) and ECOMOG had established themselves in the areas of crisis management and resolution.
Statements were also made this morning by the representatives of Cuba, Japan, Ecuador, Kenya and Chile.
The Special Committee will meet again at 3 p.m. this afternoon to continue its general debate on peacekeeping issues.
Special Committee Work Programme
The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations met this morning to continue its general debate. (For background information on the documents before the Committee, see Press Release GA/PK/157 of 24 March.)
Statements
MICHAEL POWLES (New Zealand) said that, for his country, the role of the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security remained central. An ongoing review of the enhancement of the Organization's capacity for peacekeeping must be maintained. There had been changes in the structure of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, but the United Nations was still some way from defining the permanent capacity needed to respond to the changing levels of peacekeeping activities. It was vital that the Department remain efficient and retain a surge capability when the situation demanded.
The removal of gratis personnel this year had created some continuity problems, he continued. The effectiveness of the new staffing level and the fine-tuning of the process should be continuous, and the range of functions, knowledge and expertise of all the staff within the Department required proper definition. That process needed to be transparent and perhaps should be carried out not by the Department itself, but by an independent review team. The overriding factor must be the maintenance of an effective and efficient Department of Peacekeeping Operations.
The heavy demand for demining reinforced the need for the recently established Mine Action Service which had to be kept on a sound financial footing, he said. Continuing non-payment of arrears by some States, including the largest contributor, continued to hinder the United Nations in carrying out its Charter responsibilities. To establish an effective peacekeeping operation, early consultations were required between the Security Council, potential troop contributors and the Secretariat. Frequent briefings and consultation with troop contributors had to continue once the operation was in place. Troop-contributor meetings were vitally important to those with personnel in the field or those considering commitment, and should be given an appropriate level of importance by the Secretariat and the Security Council.
New Zealand continued to place a strong emphasis on initiatives aimed at enhancing the United Nations' capacity to react rapidly and to sustain commitments in crisis situations, he said. His delegation, therefore, looked favourably at the Secretary-General's proposal for establishing the Rapidly Deployment Mission Headquarters as part of the Military Planning Service. In addition, an effective and sustainable logistics capability was required to ensure that rapidly deployed troops could be maintained in an area of operations. Given the wide range of contributions from different States, a concept that provided standardized arrangements would aid both efficiency and cost effectiveness.
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RAFAEL DAUSA CESPEDES (Cuba) said that several years after the adoption of General Assembly resolution 51/243, Cuba welcomed the recent termination of the so-called gratis personnel. It was hoped that the current session would be able to make a detailed analysis of the measures that -- as recommended by the Special Committee -- the Secretariat had adopted or was planning to adopt to potentially minimize the difficulties relating to the elimination of gratis personnel. In order to avoid difficulties in the future, it was necessary for the personnel selection process of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to be characterized -- at all times -- by complete transparency and strict observance of Articles 100 and 101 of the United Nations Charter.
He said that the United Nations standby arrangements system was particularly important to increase the effectiveness of peacekeeping operations. Only the Secretary-General had the authority to select the forces participating in a peacekeeping operation on the basis of individual contributions offered by States through the standby arrangements system. In that regard, Cuba welcomed the Secretariat's confirmation that there was no United Nations peacekeeping brigade.
Regarding the information contained in the Secretary-General's report on the respective functions of the Rapidly Deployable Mission Headquarters and of the Mission Planning Service, Cuba's concerns on a possible duplication of the tasks assigned to those two structures tended to assert themselves. The reason for the urgency to set up the Headquarters was not quite clear, more so when the minimum resources required -- including the part of their main promoters -- had not yet been received. Cuba had serious doubts about the inclusion of the Headquarters in the Support Account and suggested evaluating the possibility of entrusting its functions to the Mission Planning Service.
SYLVESTER E. ROWE (Sierra Leone) said that, based on the situation in his country today, the future success or failure of United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa might well depend to a large extent on the quality of collaboration between the world body and regional and subregional organizations. As had been demonstrated in Liberia and Sierra Leone, the effectiveness of United Nations observer missions depended on the ability of the subregional peacekeeping force, in terms of logistics and related facilities, to create safe and secure environments for United Nations personnel to perform their functions. It was apparent that the United Nations Observer Mission in Sierra Leone (UNOMSIL) could not effectively perform its mandate without the security blanket provided by ECOMOG.
He said that assisting affected populations in war zones was becoming increasingly dangerous, as Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Sergio Vieira de Mello had told the Security Council recently. While agreeing with him that the contribution made by peacekeeping forces and international police in averting and containing humanitarian relief was often overlooked, the question had always been "who should protect humanitarian relief workers,
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including those of the United Nations family?" In Sierra Leone, the onus fell on ECOMOG.
He said the provision of technical and logistical support to ECOMOG was not an act of charity. It was the fulfilment of a responsibility, consistent with the United Nations Charter for the maintenance of international peace and security. It also helped to deter further unilateral intervention by outside forces, including greedy arms merchants who assisted the rebels in misusing Sierra Leone's mineral resources to massacre its people and destroy the nation. One could not speak about dialogue with a need for a peaceful resolution of the Sierra Leone conflict if collaboration between ECOMOG and UNOMSIL was not sustained at the required level.
He said it was not enough to warn that the main source of security and protection for Sierra Leone's children, as well as United Nations observers and humanitarian workers, would soon be withdrawn or severely curtailed. That was tantamount to telling the country's people that they would be left to the mercy of the Revolutionary United Front rebels and their allies who continued to kill, torture and mutilate innocent people, including young children. It was hoped that such warnings of imminent, or perhaps premature, withdrawal of regional and international collective security entities, and failure by the international community to act effectively would not provoke a Rwanda syndrome in Sierra Leone -- a syndrome that continued to haunt the United Nations.
MICHEL KAFANDO (Burkina Faso) said the exchange of views in the Committee had given his country great expectations. Peacekeeping operations were the most complex aspect of United Nations activities. African States attached great importance to preventive diplomacy. Crisis management was more arduous and costly than crisis prevention. Peacekeeping operations required the mobilization of the international community and demanded significant resources.
The example of Africa showed that international tensions demanded the attention of the international community and required colossal efforts, he said. One way to remedy that situation could lie in entrusting crisis management more and more to regional and subregional organizations. Africa had matured and proven its capacity in that regard. The Organization of African Unity (OAU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC) and the Economic Community of West African States' Monitoring Observer Group (ECOMOG) had established themselves in the areas of crisis management and resolution.
SHEN GUOFANG (China) said that the fiftieth anniversary of peacekeeping operations had revealed some guiding principles that had proven effective. Those principles implied observation of purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, especially the principles of respect for State sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of Member States, as well as obtaining prior consent from parties concerned; observing strict neutrality; and non-use of force, except for self-defence. Any act taken in
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circumvention of the Security Council and aimed at supplanting United Nations peacekeeping operations with unilateral actions ran counter to the principles of the Charter. China supported regional organizations strengthening their cooperation with the United Nations and playing their due role within their respective mandates.
A sound and stable financial basis was the prerequisite for carrying out peacekeeping operations, as well as an important condition for their success, he continued. China noted with regret that due to the huge amount of arrears in recent years, the United Nations now owed as much as $650 million to troop contributors and contingent-owned-equipment-providing countries. The present scale of assessments for peacekeeping operations had been approved by the General Assembly with the agreement of all Member States, which did not constitute any grounds for arrears in payment. China was opposed to the unilateral actions of any country to set a ceiling for its peacekeeping assessments. It was also opposed to the shifting of financial burdens to developing countries or the imposition of discriminatory financial arrangements on developing countries.
Although the United Nations was grappling with a payment crisis, the use of double standard and practice of preferential treatment were still not rare, he said. In some regions, the mandates of peacekeeping operations were being extended time and again, although the expected tasks had already been accomplished. At the same time, some other regions, especially the African continent were in dire need of attention and assistance, but the Organization was unable to take timely and meaningful action -- that situation needed to be corrected.
He also noted with regret that the reform of United Nations procurement was occurring rather slowly. Not only had the issue of procurement transparency not been elaborated clearly enough in the report of the Secretary-General, but a satisfactory answer had not been given to the request that the Secretariat should present a detailed report on peacekeeping procurement. His delegation also hoped that the Secretariat would step up the formulation of the standard for the training of civilian police and help developing countries to conduct such training.
YUKIO SATOH (Japan) said his delegation attached great importance to a study now being undertaken by the Lessons Learned Unit of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations on how to conduct the collection of arms and the demobilization of former combatants. That subject touched upon the crucial interaction between peacekeeping, peace-building and post-conflict reconstruction. The issue of demining also signified a commonality of interests among activities relating to peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and post-conflict reconstruction. Based on that recognition, Japan had contributed approximately $9.5 million to the Voluntary Trust Fund for Assistance in Mine Clearance in support of the Unit's study.
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There was also an urgent need to secure the safety of all personnel working in the field, he continued, including those engaged in peacekeeping operations and civilians carrying out humanitarian activities. The primary responsibility for the safety of such personnel lay with the host countries and the conflicting parties, but the international community also had to consider it as its own issue, for in conflicts there was often no functioning government capable of assuring the safety of personnel. Safety could also be enhanced by establishing international legal frameworks, as well as carrying out practical measures on the ground. The elimination of landmines and the collection of arms, for example, had a direct bearing on the safety of personnel.
Training was also essential in order to minimize security risks in the field, he said. Japan took special note of the establishment of the Trust Fund for the Security of the United Nations Personnel. For its part, Japan had arranged several training seminars and would provide $1 million in support of training activities. His country also supported public relations efforts for United Nations peacekeeping. Constant review of the situations surrounding operations was important, and Japan welcomed the comprehensive review of security requirements for peacekeepers which the Department of Peacekeeping Operations was currently conducting.
DAUDI MWAKAWAGO (United Republic of Tanzania), associating his delegation with the statement made on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, said that while it was the primary responsibility of the Security Council to maintain international peace and security, any measures aimed at enhancing African capacity should be directed at complementing that responsibility, rather than at replacing it or even hinting at a do-it-yourself policy. It was imperative for the United Nations to take a leading and coordinating role in that aspect, especially given that there had been a proliferation of initiatives for enhancement of African peacekeeping capacity. Any initiative in that regard should be made through the OAU or through subregional organizations with the blessing of the OAU.
He said training, logistics and financial resources were crucial for the successful enhancement of African peacekeeping capacity. Even where the OAU had had the political will to establish a peacekeeping operation, it had been hamstrung by the lack of logistics and financial resources. It was hoped that the international community would heed the Secretary-General's call for extending support to the OAU Peace Fund. The OAU, through its Mechanism for Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution, and in cooperation with subregional organizations like ECOWAS and the SADC, or even through a coalition of States belonging to different subregional organizations, had been trying to take measures aimed at restoration of peace in countries suffering from internal strife.
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EMILIO IZQUIERDO (Ecuador) said his delegation endorsed the statement made previously by Jordan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. He also wanted to comment on some issues of specific interest to his country. The institution of peacekeeping operations was one of the most important instruments for the maintenance of international peace and security. However, peacekeeping operations per se were not the best option for solving internal or external conflicts -- peaceful negotiations were preferable to the exercise of force. For that reason, they should be an exception, rather than a rule. Preventive measures should give attention to economic and social development.
Turning to the issue of training personnel for peacekeeping operations, he said that many countries lacked the necessary experience to participate in existing or future operations. His delegation supported the work of the Secretariat in that area and believed that its efforts should be strengthened and participation increased. His country participated in some peacekeeping operations, and senior officers of the police core of Ecuador had participated in the international training courses.
NJUGUNA M. MAHUGU (Kenya), associating himself with the statement made for the Non-Aligned Movement, said the Secretary-General's report conveyed a misleading impression that because of the phasing out of gratis personnel, the blame for all subsequent administrative shortcomings should be borne by the General Assembly or by the Special Committee.
The Kenyan delegation was deeply concerned, he said, at the manner in which information was disseminated to permanent missions in general, and particularly information relating to the two ill-fated flights in Angola. Nevertheless, the Kenyan delegation appreciated the Secretariat's efforts to keep permanent missions informed. Whenever the Secretariat made weekly situation reports available to Security Council members, it should also distribute those reports to troop contributors.
Regarding the new contingent-owned equipment procedures, he reiterated his delegation's concern that many troop contributors, including Kenya, were owed a lot of money by the United Nations due to the Organization's financial situation. Kenya regretted that some Member States had not fulfilled their obligations and was concerned that the situation was aggravated by continued borrowing from peacekeeping funds to finance regular budget activities.
JUAN LARRAIN (Chile) said that the present-day reality of peacekeeping operations had made it necessary to reassess certain procedures in order to improve their implementation. Although the process of consultations between the Security Council and troop-contributing countries constituted a significant step forward, which had been carried out with adequate frequency, it had not been institutionalized as Chile had repeatedly advocated. His delegation also believed that the flow of information from emergencies related to the activities on the ground should be rapid and timely.
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It was necessary to finalize the definition of a doctrine with respect to the functions of civilian police in peacekeeping missions, which would allow a clear differentiation from functions performed by military units. In that context, it was necessary to remember that police participation in those operations signified a special sacrifice on the part of the contributing countries. Chile also valued the efforts by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations in the restructuring process undertaken due to the termination of gratis personnel. In the selection of personnel resulting from that process, the members of Chile's regional group had not been adequately represented. He trusted that the Department would look carefully into that situation and propose a formula that would result in proportionality.
Chile also wanted to underline the necessity of improving the mechanisms of cooperation and consultation with regional organizations, he continued. For that reason, he stressed the coordination that should exist with humanitarian assistance agencies, whether within the United Nations system, or with non-governmental organizations whose role on the ground was indispensable.
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