Committee on Charter

and United Nations Role

254^th Meeting (AM)

special charter committee concludes 2008 session by adopting six-chapter report;

discusses working papers proposals by member delegations

 

Wrapping up its 2008 session today, the General Assembly Committee charged with weighing proposals to enhance the United Nations Charter adopted its report, as orally amended.

The six-chapter report of the body formally know as the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on Strengthening the Role of the Organization, was introduced by Phuchphop Mongkolmavin (Thailand), Rapporteur.  It contains recommendations to the General Assembly on updating two flagship publications:  Repertory Practice of United Nations Organs and Repertoire of the Practice of the Security Council.  It reflects consideration of such issues as the maintenance of international peace and security.

Chapter III of the report (documents A/AC.182/2008/CRP.1 to CRP.12) contains a summary of the Special Committee’s consideration of the revised working paper submitted by the Russian Federation on “Basic conditions and standard criteria for the introduction and implementation of sanctions imposed by the United Nations”.  It also contains a summary of the Special Committee’s consideration of Libya’s revised working paper on strengthening principles concerning the impact of sanctions.

The Russian Federation’s working paper entitled “Fundamentals of the legal basis for United Nations peacekeeping operations in the context of Chapter VI of the Charter of the United Nations” was also considered, as were working papers submitted by Cuba at the 1997 and 1998 sessions, entitled “Strengthening of the role of the Organization and enhancing its effectiveness”.  Also included is a working paper submitted by Belarus and the Russian Federation in 2005, suggesting that the Committee seek an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice, and a revised proposal by Libya on strengthening the role of the United Nations in peace and security.

In the discussion following the report’s adoption, the representative of Slovenia, speaking on behalf of the European Union, proposed the inclusion of a paragraph by which the Committee would propose the removal of items that had been on the agenda for a long time.  The representatives of Canada, United States and Israel supported that proposal.

The representative of Cuba, speaking on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, Namibia, Libya, Nigeria, Iran, Syria, Egypt and China, said, however, that the proposal did not reflect discussions in the Committee and that those items were on the agenda because they remained important and should, therefore, not be taken off the agenda.

Following that exchange, the representatives of Slovenia, Egypt and China proposed language for a paragraph that would accurately reflect the two positions in the report.  The Special Committee agreed that the countries proposing the language for such a paragraph should approach the Secretariat with their proposals to determine where exactly it would be placed.

The representative of Slovenia subsequently withdrew his proposal, explaining that he did not wish to hold up the Special Committee’s work.

Also contained in the report was a summary of discussions on the question of the peaceful settlement of disputes, as well as the Special Committee’s consideration of the Repertory and the Repertoire.

[The Repertory generally focuses on the presentation of decisions of United Nations organs and summarizes relevant views of delegations and the Organization’s practice regarding the Articles of the Charter, while the Repertoire gives an analytical summary of its proceedings and arranges the material by categories into texts and tables.]

In Chapter V of the report, the Special Committee, among other things, reiterates its call for voluntary contributions to the trust fund for the elimination of backlog in the Repertory, and encourages the voluntary sponsoring of associate experts to assist in updating the summaries, at no cost to the Organization.

Regarding working methods and identification of new subjects, the report includes a summary of discussion of the proposal submitted by the Dominican Republic, on behalf of the Rio Group, on the legal aspects of United Nations reform.

Taking up that matter, the representative of the Dominican Republic said the Rio Group wished to amend paragraphs 2 and 3.

Reacting to those suggestions, the representative of Slovenia, speaking on behalf of the European Union, supported the first amendment, but said the second did not reflect common practice.

The Special Committee subsequently incorporated the first suggestion into the text.

In an annex to the report, the Special Committee decided to continue to consider, on a priority basis, the Russian Federation’s working document on “Basic conditions and standard criteria for the introduction and implementation of sanctions imposed by the United Nations”, with a view to focusing on outstanding issues.

In closing the meeting, Karim Medrek ( Morocco), Chairman of the Special Committee, welcomed the “notable progress” made over the last two weeks, saying the Committee had held substantive discussions on two proposals.  Negotiations concerning the Russian Federation’s text on the standard criteria concerning sanctions constituted a significant step forward and all delegations should continue to consider that document, with a view to fruitful negotiations next year.  The Special Committee had also held an interesting exchange of views on the Rio Group’s proposal.  It was encouraging to see the Committee’s effort to rationalize its work, and a “redoubling of efforts” next year would make even better use of conference resources.

Also speaking today were the representatives of Tunisia, Iran and Japan.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record