STRESSING NEED FOR CONSENT OF PARTIES, IMPARTIALITY, NON-USE OF FORCE, SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING APPROVES DRAFT ON REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
Press Release
GA/SPD/179
STRESSING NEED FOR CONSENT OF PARTIES, IMPARTIALITY, NON-USE OF FORCE, SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON PEACEKEEPING APPROVES DRAFT ON REVIEW OF OPERATIONS
20000522Concluding its work for the fifty-fourth session this morning, the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) endorsed proposals contained in the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations as it approved, without a vote, a draft resolution on the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations.
According to that report, the Special Committee stressed the importance of consistent standards in peacekeeping operations, and the need to respect the principles of consent of the parties, impartiality and non-use of force, except in self-defence. Reaffirming that regional arrangements and agencies could make an important contribution to peacekeeping when the mandate and scope of such arrangements and agencies legally allowed them to do so, it emphasized that no enforcement action should be taken without Security Council authorization.
The report also recommended that the Secretariat should urgently develop, in close cooperation with Member States, a comprehensive set of policies on civilian police activities, which should be articulated through the civilian police guidelines.
On the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel, the Special Committee urged all Member States to become parties to the Convention on the Safety and Security of United Nations and Associated Personnel, and called for the completion of a general and comprehensive review of security requirements. It emphasized that peacekeeping operations must have clear mandates, objectives and command structures, and that appropriate protection and security measures should be included in mission design and planning.
Regarding logistics and procurement, the Special Committee stressed the importance of timely, efficient, transparent and cost-effective procurement of goods and services in support of peacekeeping operations.
Expressing concern over delays in reimbursing troop contributors, the Special Committee noted that such delays caused hardship to all troop- and equipment-contributing countries, especially the developing ones. It reaffirmed the obligation of all Member States to bear the Organization's expenses as apportioned by the General Assembly, bearing in mind the special responsibility of permanent Security Council members.
Other recommendations related to: consultations between troop contributors and the Security Council; mechanisms for consultations and transparency; selection of personnel; standby arrangements and rapid deployment; status of forces and
Fourth Committee - 2 - Press Release GA/SPD/179 25th Meeting (AM) 22 May 2000
status of mission agreements; and other practical proposals aimed at enhancing the peacekeeping capacity of the United Nations.
Introducing the six-Power draft resolution (document A/C.4/54/L.21), and the Special Committees report (document A/54/839), that bodys Rapporteur, Hossam Zaki (Egypt), said it was similar to last years text.
By terms of the draft, the General Assembly would urge all Member States, the Secretariat and all relevant United Nations organs to take all necessary steps to implement the proposals and recommendations of the Special Committee.
The draft is co-sponsored by Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Japan, Nigeria and Poland.
This mornings meeting was following a new calendar, according to which the Special Committees recommendations would receive legislative weight in the spring.
Addressing the Committee this morning were Bernard Miyet, Under-Secretary- General for Peacekeeping Operations, and the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone.
Committee Work Programme
When the Fourth Committee (Special Political and Decolonization) met this morning in its resumed fifty-forth session, it had before it the report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (document A/54/839). The report summarizes the Committees general debate, held on 11, 14 and 15 February, as well as the work of its open-ended working group. It also provides proposals, recommendations and conclusions on a wide variety of matters, including ways to enhance the capacity of the United Nations for peacekeeping.
The Special Committee stresses the importance of consistently applying the standards for establishing and conducting peacekeeping operations, and emphasizes the essential need to respect the principles of consent of the parties, impartiality and non-use of force, except in self-defence.
The report reaffirms that regional arrangements and agencies can make an important contribution to peacekeeping where appropriate and when the mandate and scope of regional arrangements and agencies legally allows them to do so. It emphasizes that no enforcement action should be taken without Security Council authorization.
According to the report, the Special Committee recognizes the increased role of civilian police components in peacekeeping operations and stresses that they should be adequately reflected in the structures of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations. It also recommends that the Secretariat should urgently develop, in close cooperation with Member States, a comprehensive set of policies on civilian police activities, which should be articulated through the civilian police guidelines.
On the safety and security of United Nations and associated personnel, the Special Committee urges Member States that had not yet done so to become parties to the Convention on the Safety and Security of United Nations and Associated Personnel, and calls for the completion of a general and comprehensive review of security requirements. It emphasizes that peacekeeping operations must have clear mandates, objectives and command structures, and that appropriate protection and security measures should be included in mission design and planning.
Regarding logistics and procurement, the Special Committee stresses the importance of timely, efficient, transparent and cost-effective procurement of goods and services in support of peacekeeping operations. It invites the Secretariat to explore means of enhancing the Organization's logistic readiness, particularly through a broader use of the logistics base in Brindisi, Italy, and reserve stocks.
Expressing concern over delays in reimbursing troop contributors, the Special Committee notes that such delays cause hardship to all troop- and equipment-contributing countries, especially the developing ones. Stressing that all Member States must pay their assessed contributions in full, on time and without conditions, it reaffirms their obligation to bear the Organization's expenses as apportioned by the General Assembly, bearing in mind the special responsibility of permanent Security Council members.
Other recommendations contained in the report relate to: consultations between troop contributors and the Security Council; mechanisms for consultations and transparency; selection of personnel; standby arrangements and rapid deployment; status of forces and status of mission agreements; and other practical proposals aimed at enhancing the peacekeeping capacity of the United Nations.
The Committee also had before it a draft resolution on the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects (document A/C.4/54/L.21).
By the terms of that draft, the General Assembly would decide to include in the provisional agenda of its fifty-fifth session the item "Comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations in al their aspects". It would also decide that the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations shall continue its efforts for a comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping, review the implementation of its previous proposals and consider any new proposals so as to enhance the capacity of the United Nations to fulfil its responsibilities in that field.
Also by the text, the Assembly would endorse the Special Committee's proposals, recommendations and conclusions, contained in paragraphs 43 to 130 of its report, and urge all Member States, the Secretariat and relevant United Nations organs to take all necessary steps to implement those proposals, recommendations and conclusions.
Further by the draft, the Assembly would reiterate that those Member States that become personnel contributors to United Nations peacekeeping operations in years to come or participate in future in the Special Committee for three consecutive years as observers shall, upon written request to its Chairman, become members at the following session of the General Assembly.
The draft is sponsored by Argentina, Canada, Egypt, Japan, Nigeria and Poland.
Statements
BERNARD MIYET, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, said that one of the requirements put forward in the Special Committees report was the need to follow guidelines, particularly in providing sufficient safety and security for United Nations and associated personnel. Recalling the recent acute tension in Sierra Leone, he said that lessons should be learned from that situation. The United Nations troops had shown courage, and although for the first time in history, rebels had penetrated the United Nations facilities, at no time had the peacekeepers abandoned the country. Unlike the situations in Rwanda, Bosnia and Somalia, civilians had not been the ones to pay the price. Troop- contributing countries should receive tribute for their constant and outstanding support in Sierra Leone.
He went on to say that the Security Council had lent its support to the operation in Sierra Leone, substantially increasing the force and making available the required mandate and resources. Although questions were being asked in the press about the wisdom of United Nations involvement in Sierra Leone and in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and about dealing with non-State parties to conflicts, the increase in troops of the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) would give the operation a chance to succeed.
Another aspect, he continued, was the need to strengthen capacities and to allow all countries willing to do so, including African countries, to participate in peacekeeping. Also among the lessons to be drawn from Sierra Leone was the need to avoid reacting too quickly, before investigating the situation properly. All factors needed to be taken into consideration. The Organization was now prepared to make a fresh start in Sierra Leone. Africa was not a lost continent, and it was necessary to redouble efforts to succeed there.
The report included a number of supportive recommendations related to practical aspects of peacekeeping, he said. It focused on enhancing the international communitys ability to find the personnel and resources required in the field. That remained the daily concern of his Department, and would require ongoing efforts on the part of both the Secretariat and Member States. The development of peacekeeping operations in Kosovo and East Timor should also form a basis for further research, and lessons should be drawn from them.
Also identified in the report were key conceptual areas where further progress was required. Since the recent session of the Special Committee, the Department had already made considerable progress in addressing one of the most complex issues concerning the formulation of guidelines on the role of the United Nations civilian police. As referred to in the report, on 4 and 5 May, Spain had hosted a meeting of former police commissioners in Avila.
In general, the report highlighted the complementary roles of Member States and the Secretariat in peacekeeping. The 14 United Nations operations now deployed were discharging complex and difficult tasks. Some were treading uncharted territory in order to address underlying problems of law and order, or human rights.
SYLVESTER ROWE (Sierra Leone) expressed satisfaction at last Thursdays emergency Security Council debate, during which a consensus was reached that the United Nations would continue to fulfil its commitment to Sierra Leone. Last Friday, the Council had approved a strengthening of the United Nations
peacekeeping force to 13,000 troops. Sierra Leone applauded the Secretary- Generals persistence when it had seemed that a further deployment would not be forthcoming.
He said that last Fridays decision would come as a disappointment to those who wanted the United Nations to withdraw. They should know that Sierra Leone and UNAMSIL would not be deterred by any acts of terrorism. While the countrys Government and people were disappointed by the actions that had precipitated the detention of peacekeeping personnel by the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebels, that should not be construed as a failure of United Nations peacekeeping in Africa.
What had happened, though painful, should be regarded as a chapter in the volume of lessons learned from peacekeeping activities, he said. Sierra Leone was not Somalia, nor southern Lebanon nor the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Each situation must be treated according to its own peculiar and specific circumstances.
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