SPECIAL PEACEKEEPING COMMITTEE CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE

26 March 1999

Press Release
GA/PK/162

SPECIAL PEACEKEEPING COMMITTEE CONCLUDES GENERAL DEBATE

19990326 It was ironic that at the same time that the Security Council was venturing into areas like human rights, humanitarian law and disarmament, which were within the purview of other United Nations organs, it was being squeezed out of its primary role in the maintenance of international peace and security, the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations heard this afternoon as it concluded its general debate.

The representative of India said the Council's role was being undermined by a tendency to undertake peace enforcement without its specific authorization, the most glaring example of which was the ongoing attack on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Jamaica's representative said that while the capacity of the United Nations had been underutilized, the Organization ran the risk of further reduction in financial resources to sustain peacekeeping if that trend was allowed to continue. Every effort should therefore be made to revive the political will for the United Nations to mount peacekeeping operations.

The representative of Bolivia said that last year, while the Organization celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of peacekeeping operations, 28 peacekeepers had lost their lives. The best way to remember them was to guarantee the safety of peacekeepers by quickly ratifying and actively implementing the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel. To prevent future accidents and loss of life, it was important to strengthen training and personnel capacity of both the military and civilian sectors. Demining was yet another aspect that had to be considered.

Statements were also made by the representatives of Tunisia, Georgia, Syria, Romania, Colombia, Papua New Guinea, Iran, Ethiopia and the observer for the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Also this afternoon, Cameroon and the Central African Republic were admitted to participate in the work of the Special Committee as Observers.

The Special Committee will meet again at a date to be published in the Journal.

Special Committee Work Programme

The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations met this afternoon to conclude its general debate. (For background on the documents before the Committee, see Press Release GA/PK/157.)

Statements

PATRICIA DURRANT (Jamaica) said that every effort should be made to strengthen the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. Its effectiveness lay in its ability to rapidly deploy forces and to devote sufficient resources to complete mandates, in the lead time required to prepare for the operation and in the capabilities of the peacekeepers to meet the challenges.

At present, it appeared that peacekeeping operations were under threat of extinction, given their gradual reduction over the years, she said. It was paradoxical that the capacity of the United Nations had been under-utilized. The Organization ran the risk of further reduction in financial resources to sustain peacekeeping if that trend was allowed to persist. Every effort should therefore be made to revive the political will for the United Nations to mount peacekeeping operations. She stressed that preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and post-conflict peace-building were the cornerstones of peacekeeping efforts.

There should be complementarity between the United Nations and regional organizations, she said. Development programmes should be considered an important mechanism for addressing some of the problems arising in conflicts. Arms control and disarmament should be an essential part of an integrated approach to peacekeeping and conflict prevention. Also, every effort should be made to provide adequate information on peacekeeping missions, which should serve as an effective confidence-building measure.

ALI HACHANI (Tunisia) said that in recent years peacekeeping operations had undergone a notable evolution, which required a new consideration of how to conduct them effectively. The crucial role of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations should be appreciated. Peacekeeping must be carried out in accordance with the principles of the Charter. Rapid intervention capacity was extremely important.

The growing role of civilian police signified that increased effort should be made to elaborate the principles and guidelines for those forces, to differentiate them from military components, he said. The financial situation of the United Nations was a source of concern, as financial difficulties were affecting the capacity of the organization to conduct peacekeeping operations. Timely payment of all dues would help to resolve the problem and entice more countries to participate in peacekeeping operations.

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Regional and subregional organizations could make an important contribution to the maintenance of peace and security, he said, and experience in Africa had demonstrated that. In that context, the conflict prevention mechanism of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) was all the more important in view of the number of hotbeds of tension in Africa. However, that did not exempt the United Nations from its obligation under the Charter. The United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic (MINURCA) and the Mission in Sierra Leone had been successful, and those successes should be consolidated. The United Nations should prepare for new missions, keeping in mind the lessons learned from the experiences of the past.

PETER CHKHEIDZE (Georgia) said that for six years the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG) had been contributing to the continuing efforts to reach a peaceful solution of the conflict in Abkhazia, Georgia, initiated by the Abkhaz separatists. In spite of the fact that UNOMIG had engaged in several successful operations, those efforts had not responded adequately to the increasing tensions in the conflict zone. The UNOMIG must develop more appropriate responses to the current situation in Abkhazia. Otherwise, there was a real danger that the United Nations peace operation in Georgia might lose its influence over the resolution process.

He said that, from the Georgian perspective, the following considerations should be integrated into the peace operation: the unconditional return of refugees and internally displaced persons to their homes, and assurance of their safety and security; the continual international monitoring of the observance and protection of human rights; economic rehabilitation programmes for the conflict zone; the safety and security of UNOMIG personnel; and prospects for the political resolution of the conflict.

Efforts at resolving the conflict were meaningless if they did not address the issue of preserving the territorial integrity and the internationally-recognized borders of Georgia, he said. The international community must consider practical measures to limit the Abkhaz separatists' claims for an independent State of Abkhazia. Without the unconditional return of the refugees expelled from Abkhazia, the prospects for resolution of the conflict were bleak. It was therefore time to talk about extending UNOMIG's mandate to that of a full-scale peacekeeping operation. At the same time, the United Nations should consider a plan for peace enforcement measures as one of the indispensable means for the final resolution of the conflict.

FAYSSAL MEKDAD (Syria) affirmed that peacekeeping operations were not in themselves a solution to crises -- they were only a temporary measure in the search for solutions to conflict. The first United Nations peacekeeping mission had been stationed in the Middle East for more than 50 years. While his delegation applauded the positive relations between Syrian officials and those of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) and United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), peace in the Middle East was

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still elusive despite the presence of peacekeeping forces. Israel persisted in colonizing the territory of others, controlling their natural resources and terrorizing the lives of their peoples.

Associating his delegation with the statement made previously by the representative of Jordan on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, he said Syria had declared its readiness to contribute forces to the United Nations standby arrangements systems. However, it opposed arrangements that did not give equal opportunities to all Member States. Syria welcomed the phasing out of gratis personnel, but did not agree with the Secretary-General's report, which placed the blame for subsequent shortcomings on countries belonging to the Non-Aligned Movement. Syria also supported the Movement's position on the separation of the military and other functions of United Nations peacekeeping operations.

ION GORITA (Romania) supported Canada's proposal concerning the need to develop and maintain a focus on the special challenges posed by the current nature of peacekeeping operations. Establishing the Rapidly Deployable Mission Headquarters within the Department of Peacekeeping Operations would be an effective means for implementation of the new kind of peacekeeping operations. An appropriate level of military staffing of the Headquarters was important for its efficiency.

Romania was actively cooperating with regional security organizations in Europe, he said. Civil-military cooperation was essential for the success of present-day peacekeeping operations. Taking into account the increasing role of the civilian police, Romania had included in its peacekeeping contingents a civilian police element, which was deployed as part of the International Police Task Force in Bosnia and Herzegovina. His Government also supported the implementation of appropriate measures for increased security of United Nations personnel in the field.

ALBERTO SALAMANCA (Bolivia) said that last year, while the Organization celebrated the 50th anniversary of peacekeeping operations, 28 peacekeepers had lost their lives. The best way to remember them was to guarantee the safety of peacekeepers, quickly ratifying and actively implementing the Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel, as well as General Assembly resolution 52/167 on safety and security of humanitarian personnel. To prevent the repetition of accidents and actions leading to the loss of life, it was important to strengthen training and personnel capacity of both military and civilian sectors. Demining was another aspect that had to be considered, as nothing could justify the use of anti-personnel mines. His Government's position on that matter lay in the ratification of the related agreements reached in Oslo and Ottawa.

In the past, he said, Bolivia's commitment to peacekeeping operations had been implemented through involvement of its civil police contingents in

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Haiti and Mozambique. Participation of civil police became useful in the period following the end of conflict. Within the framework of the standby arrangements, Bolivian Armed Forces had been developing specific programmes on training and equipment. Bolivia now had a highly efficient corps to contribute to peacekeeping operations.

JUAN CARLOS LONDONO (Colombia), aligning himself with the statement made for the Non-Aligned Movement, said the success of peacekeeping operations depended on the capacity of the United Nations to mount an operation that would respond to the specific needs of a theatre of action and to the unique nature of each situation.

Welcoming the elimination of gratis personnel, he said that measure would make more effective the principle of equitable geographical distribution. The developing countries would strive to make the principle more effective in various other international bodies and would oppose attempts to retain such inequitable arrangements. The Department of Peacekeeping Operations should reconsider its methods of selecting military commanders and police commissioners. The Secretary-General's report did not answer that concern; all it did was enunciate the standing policy.

JIMMY U. OVIA (Papua New Guinea), associating himself with the Non- Aligned Movement statement, said peacekeeping operations could not be complete without finding long-term solutions for peace-making and sustained post- conflict peace-building measures. Many men and women from Australia, New Zealand, Fiji and Vanuatu were helping his Government's efforts to achieve lasting peace on the island of Bougainville. Their efforts had contributed enormously to preventing further deaths on the island. Papua New Guinea also recognized the role played by the United Nations Observer Mission there. Its presence contributed to confidence-building in the process of achieving peace between the various Bougainville factions, and also facilitated free and open dialogue with the national Government.

Regarding resources for peacekeeping, he said his own country currently only contributed through its normal dues and was not a troop contributor. He noted that Fiji, a small developing island country, was owed a very substantial amount of money, yet it continued to take its peacekeeping obligations very seriously by maintaining its commitment to the United Nations. The amount owed to Fiji was 36 times the dues it was required to pay annually. Member States that had not met their obligations were urged to do so as soon as possible.

KAMALESH SHARMA (India) said that peacekeeping must be seen as part of a broader United Nations framework and not as a substitute for developmental work and nation-building. Conflict prevention could not be confined to diplomatic and military efforts, but must also address the underlying socio- economic causes. The role of the United Nations in peacekeeping should not be

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undermined. It was ironic that at the same time the Security Council was venturing into areas like human rights, humanitarian law and disarmament, which were within the purview of other United Nations organs, it was being squeezed out of its primary role in maintenance of international peace and security. Its role was being undermined by a tendency to undertake peace enforcement without specific authorization by the Council, the most glaring example of which was the ongoing North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) attack on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

The work of the Security Council was affected by the continuing financial crisis, he said. There was also an increasing trend to "sub- contract" peacekeeping to regional arrangements. However, there could be no substitute for the engagement of all Member States. Doctrines of intervention without consent of the State parties needed to be treated with caution. It was also paradoxical that there was a greater emphasis on humanitarian assistance, while developmental assistance was shrinking. Difficult humanitarian situations should not be equated with threats to international peace and security.

India welcomed the enhanced frequency of briefings and consultations with troop-contributing countries, he said. However, the information provided was insufficient at times, and often came too late. His delegation was gratified to note that gratis personnel had finally been phased out by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. However, the process of recruitment undertaken to replace those personnel should be transparent and based on uniform criteria.

Referring to coordination in the field and the appointment of resident coordinators to serve as deputy to heads of mission, he said that such a development appeared undesirable, as it could result in blurring the distinction between humanitarian activities and peacekeeping operations. It could also result in the dilution of the already diminishing role of the United Nations in developmental activities.

DANESH-YAZDI (Iran) said that peacekeeping operations must conform to the guiding principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. The United Nations, as a body with universal membership and international legitimacy, must remain the primary organ responsible for the maintenance of international peace and security. The United Nations standby arrangements system was key to the increased effectiveness of peacekeeping operations, and it needed to be strengthened to achieve its goals.

It was imperative that necessary information be provided to the Member States concerned in due course and in a regular manner, he continued. The Secretariat was expected to inform the troop contributors and other Member States that had indicated a willingness to contribute to peacekeeping operations, of any developments and reports that were available to the

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Security Council. The Council should adopt a flexible approach to the form of consultations with concerned States and neighbouring countries. It should not limit them solely to troop contributors, but also include countries especially affected and other countries from the region concerned. Also, the procurement of goods and services for peacekeeping operations needed to be made timely, efficient and transparent. Developing countries should be given special consideration in that regard.

BERHANEMESKEL NEGA (Ethiopia) said that as the only continental organization in Africa, the OAU should be closely involved, in cooperation with the United Nations, in all efforts aimed at enhancing African peacekeeping capacity. The role of the United Nations should not be limited to that of a clearinghouse. Ethiopia noted the constraints faced by the Secretariat and agreed with the report regarding the need for additional financial resources through contributions to the Trust Fund established by the Secretary-General.

He said the financing of United Nations peacekeeping operations continued to be a matter of serious concern. Non-payment of assessed contribution, in particular on the part of those who possessed the ability to pay, posed a serious challenge to the effective functioning of the United Nations. His delegation was also gravely concerned over the endless and sometimes unjustifiable delays in the reimbursement of costs to troop- contributing countries. The delay in the reimbursement of costs for contingent-owned equipment and related costs was, in particular, of great concern to his country. His delegation strongly urged the Secretariat to expedite the process of reimbursement. In the reimbursement of costs, priority should be given to developing countries and, among them, to the least-developed countries.

JOSE ANTONIO LINATI-BOSCH, Permanent Observer of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, said that the Order had started its humanitarian work nine hundred years ago. Since then, it had not ceased to bring succour to those in need -- today, its presence was noted in over one hundred countries. The Order had first offered its services to the United Nations in 1991. It had been providing assistance in many United Nations operations, including those in Rwanda, Guatemala and Uganda. The Sovereign Military Order of Malta strongly believed that peacekeeping operations could be based on preventive diplomacy, as well as on preventive deployment.

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