SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM ESSENTIAL TO UNITED NATIONS REORGANIZATION, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
Press Release
GA/9098
SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM ESSENTIAL TO UNITED NATIONS REORGANIZATION, PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN TELLS GENERAL ASSEMBLY
19960924 Denmark, Canada Urge Full Payment of Assessments; President of Poland, Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Costa Rica and Republic of Moldova also SpeakCentral to reform of the United Nations was reform of the Security Council, as was revitalization of the Organization's administrative and financial systems and renewal of its economic and social efforts, the Prime Minister of Japan, Ryutaro Hashimoto, told the General Assembly as it continued its general debate this afternoon.
Japan, with the endorsement of many countries, was prepared to become a new permanent member of the Security Council, the Prime Minister continued. As the second largest financial contributor to the United Nations, Japan attached great importance to "the responsibility to pay" as well as "the capacity to pay".
With the United Nations in financial crisis, the Foreign Minister of Denmark, Niels Helveg Petersen, stressed that all Member States must pay their contributions in full, on time and without pre-conditions. Undermining the United Nations was in nobody's interest. Member States who were intentionally behind in paying their assessed contributions must realize that they could not expect their influence in the various United Nations organs to remain unaffected.
The Foreign Minister of Canada, Lloyd Axworthy, said United Nations reform was more than just cost-cutting. It was necessary to ask why over half of the Member States failed to pay their dues unconditionally, in full and on time. Perhaps, the Foreign Minister said, some Members were withholding dues as a form of blackmail to pressure the Organization into reforms. That was wrong-headed and short-sighted since an organization in crisis would not have the energy required to tackle genuine reform.
Presenting a draft framework convention to fight organized crime, the President of Poland, Aleksander Kwasniewski, told the Assembly that only a worldwide effort under United Nations auspices could halt the growth of transnational crime and the spread of terrorism. The President called upon
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Member States to discuss and strengthen the draft text which outlined means of combating drug trafficking, money laundering, counterfeiting and slavery.
The Foreign Ministers of Egypt, Costa Rica and the Republic of Moldova also spoke this afternoon.
Statement in exercise of the right of reply was made by the representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
The Assembly will convene again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 25 September, to continue its general debate.
Assembly Work Programme
The General Assembly met this afternoon to continue its general debate. The Assembly was scheduled to hear an address by the President of Poland and statements by the Prime Minister of Japan and the Foreign Ministers of Denmark, Canada, Egypt, Costa Rica and the Republic of Moldova.
Statements
ALEKSANDER KWASNIEWSKI, the President of Poland, said his country's foreign policy objectives were to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union. At the same time, Poland would work to maintain good cooperation with its neighbours, including Russia. Poland was fulfilling its obligations as a member of the world community through its activity in peace-keeping operations and United Nations bodies.
On United Nations reform, he said that in addition to restructuring, it was high time to adapt the United Nations work programme through innovation and redeployment. The Organization's potential to protect human rights should be enhanced, possibly through the elaboration of an "agenda on human rights" by the Secretary-General. Efforts to avoid conflict must be expanded, through diplomacy, peace-building and development. Poland was willing to provide troops to the proposed United Nations rapid reaction component of stand-by arrangements. He said Poland, current President of the Conference on Disarmament, welcomed the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which his country had signed this morning. Now, it was important for the Chemical Weapons Convention to receive the needed signatures to enter into force.
The international community was faced with the growing threat presented by transnational organized crime and international terrorism, he said. In his country and region incidents of drug trafficking, "white slavery", child prostitution and money laundering were on the rise. Only a worldwide effort under United Nations auspices could halt the increase of crime which threatened democratic freedoms and democracy. Concrete attempts must be made by the international community to agree on a comprehensive legal instrument which would enhance inter-State cooperation and facilitate efforts to fight international organized crime. Referring to a draft framework convention which proposed a system of cooperation between Member States to combat organized crime, he said it outlined means of combating such crimes as drug trafficking, money laundering, counterfeiting and slavery. He called upon Member States to discuss and work to improve the draft text.
NIELS HELVEG PETERSEN, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Denmark, highlighted four priority areas for the international community: peace- keeping; human rights; development; the environment. Regarding peace-keeping, the international community must learn from the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, Rwanda and Somalia. Rapid response capability might prevent such
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crises from getting out of hand. The establishment of a rapidly deployable headquarters in the Department of Peace-keeping Operations would reduce planning- and response-time for future operations. Denmark continued its efforts to establish a multilateral brigade at a state of high readiness within the stand-by system.
He said preventive diplomacy was also required. Regional organizations must take on more responsibility. The United Nations could not carry the entire burden by itself. The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was one such important regional organization. Arms control and reduction added their contribution to conflict prevention. He noted that two- and-a-half years of intensive negotiations had resulted in the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which Denmark had signed this morning. In the area of conventional weapons, he said a total, worldwide ban on land-mines was a necessary solution to a grave threat.
He said criticism of human rights abuses could no longer be rejected as interference in internal affairs; the overall goal was to promote and protect individual human rights. He spoke of "the grave situation" in Myanmar where, he said, developments had gone from bad to worse. Denmark and the European Union had urged the State Law and Order Restoration Council to respect human rights and restore democracy to the Burmese people. The appeals had been ignored.
Concerning development, he said the plight of the poorest countries was a matter of particular concern. The current trend in official development assistance (ODA) was deplorable. It had fallen to 0.27 per cent of gross national product (GNP) in 1995 -- the lowest level since the United Nations target of 0.7 per cent was set in 1970. In 1995 only four countries were above the target; Denmark continued to contribute 1 per cent of GNP.
Was the Organization fully capable of meeting its challenges? he asked, responding that, regrettably, the answer was no. He said all Members must honour their treaty obligations and pay their contributions in full, on time and without pre-conditions. Undermining the United Nations was in nobody's interest. Member States who were running intentionally behind in paying their assessed contributions must realize that they could not expect their influence in the various United Nations organs to remain unaffected.
RYUTARO HASHIMOTO, Prime Minister of Japan, said Japan's goal was not only to secure its own stability, but to secure regional and global peace and security. To reach the goal of creating a better world for future generations, global peace must be secured; growth and stability must be brought to developing countries; and the well-being of all must be ensured. Discussing regional issues, he said "the recent incident of infiltration by a North Korean submarine made us all the more aware of the importance of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula". Japan supported the proposal made by the United States and the Republic of Korea for a "four-party meeting". Regarding
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Cambodia, Japan would continue to assist that country's efforts to secure peace. Moreover, through its participation in the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Forum, Japan would continue to promote confidence- building in the region.
He said peace-keeping operations in areas of conflict supported collective security and supplemented efforts of the parties involved. The international community must continue to support peace-keeping operations while seeking their further reform. He called for a meeting of eminent persons to consider the enhancement of the United Nations preventive capacity. It was essential to promote further disarmament and limit the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.
Welcoming the adoption of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, he said nuclear disarmament efforts should continue towards the goal of a nuclear-free world. As the next step, he called for the negotiation of a "cut-off" treaty to prohibit the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. In support of international efforts to address the problem of anti- personnel land-mines, Japan was prepared to host a meeting of senior officials early next year.
Discussing reorganization at the United Nations, he called for reforms of the Security Council; in the administrative and financial areas; and in the economic and social areas. Japan, he added, with the endorsement of many countries, was prepared to become a permanent member of the Security Council. For the time being, it had presented its candidature for non-permanent membership on the Council.
To ensure global stability, it was critical that development be promoted, and the role and the functions of the Economic and Social Council should be strengthened. Japan, as the second largest financial contributor to the United Nations, attached great importance to both the "capacity to pay" and the "responsibility to pay".
LLOYD AXWORTHY, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada, said the need for recommitment to the United Nations was clear, and so was the need for the renewal, restructuring and refocusing of the Organization. The basic mandate of the United Nations was the prevention of international conflict. The international response to security threats had gone well beyond the initial definition, which was limited to cross-border aggression. Conflicts within borders were, in peace-keeping terms, "largely uncharted waters". A new "tool-kit" was necessary for the United Nations to respond to a variety of different situations.
He was pleased that most of Canada's recommendations made in the rapid reaction study were being implemented. The search for new tools to use collectively could not be a substitute for the reinforcement of existing mechanisms to build peace, such as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty,
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which Canada signed today. If the world could focus its energies on ending the testing of nuclear weapons, there was hope for setting the goal of ending the use of anti-personnel land-mines. The Assembly should produce a strong resolution in that area in the current session.
While there were many notable achievements in advancing sustainable human security by the United Nations system, he continued, there remained far too many paper commitments instead of real progress on the ground. Too many bodies were established to implement a plethora of agendas, blueprints and plans. In the realm of sustainable human security, governments were not alone. The groups and networks that had emerged around the world representing women, children, indigenous people and others were not major players. A system of governance was needed to recognize that fact and to bring them into partnership with the United Nations. An example of such a new system was the Arctic Council, which brought together Arctic nations and indigenous groups to cooperate in the sustainable development and environmental protection of a unique and precious part of the globe.
He announced that his country would immediately begin creating a roster of qualified Canadian human right experts available for rapid deployment as part of larger peace-building operations or as individuals to undertake specialized human rights tasks. His Government would make the rights of children the utmost priority.
On the priority issue of the ongoing financial crisis facing the United Nations, he said reform was more than just cost-cutting. There was a growing awareness of the need for financial and administrative restructuring. It was also necessary to ask why more than half of the Member States were failing to pay their dues unconditionally, in full and on time. Perhaps some Members were withholding dues as a form of blackmail to pressure the Organization into reforms. That was wrong-headed and short-sighted. An organization in crisis would not have the energy required to tackle genuine reform.
AMRE MOUSSA, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Egypt, said it was alarming that attempts were being made to marginalize the United Nations at a time when the world was in need of further understanding, better coordination and accelerated interdependence. Any international order must be anchored on a solid basis which respected rights, determined obligations and opened the door to an era of interaction among communities on the basis of acceptance and understanding and not imposition and oppression. It was now necessary to strive collectively to build a common political will to strengthen the United Nations, enhance its effectiveness and restore its credibility.
Turning to the situation in the Middle East, he said that in spite of the recent crisis in the peace process, Arab leaders still expressed their keen interest in the continuation of the process of making a just and comprehensive peace as an Arab strategic option under international legality. That position required a corresponding commitment to be confirmed by Israel
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seriously and unequivocally, in accordance with the principles agreed upon at the Madrid Conference, particularly the principle of land for peace and the assurances provided by the parties. The Arab leaders emphasized that there would be no recognition or acceptance of any situation resulting from Israeli settlement activity in the occupied Arab territories. A comprehensive and just peace would be realized only by resolving as well the question of Jerusalem and the settlement of the question of refugees, based on their right to return and to compensation.
He said that following the recent meeting between the Israeli Prime Minister and the Palestinian President, it was now necessary to guarantee implementation of commitments and serious negotiation. Egypt called upon Israel to resume negotiations with Syria and to refrain from pursuing policies that might be interpreted as squandering years of negotiations. Israel must also fully withdraw from Lebanon in conformity with Security Council resolution 425.
While a just and comprehensive peace was the cornerstone of stability in the Middle East, he continued, economic and regional cooperation under a just peace constituted another pillar of stability in the region. He also proposed the initiation of effective negotiations to establish a zone free from all weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles. Peace and security could not last in the presence of any disequilibrium in the balance of power or serious discrepancy in the rights and obligations among the countries of the region. Egypt rejected anything that resulted in an unbalanced peace that fulfilled the interests of one party at the expense of another.
FERNANDO NARANJO-VILLALOBOS, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, said that delegations to the Assembly must be asking themselves the same questions relating to the effectiveness of the United Nations. The cold war had been followed by a long series of bloody and damaging conflicts worldwide. In spite of that, there were reasons for optimism, as evidenced by the recent elections in Bosnia and the re-start of the negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
He said Costa Rica had already signed the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, and he called upon all Member States to do so as soon as possible. Similarly, he added, consideration must be given to the problems raised by the international traffic and commerce in arms. He pointed out that Central America had continued its progress in the consolidation of peace and democracy, and cited the Guatemalan peace process as one of the bright spots. Fair and pluralist electoral processes in Central America were now the norm, not the exception. Given that most countries in the region had experienced some turbulence, they were all now working to prevent a repeat of the past. To do this, they were combining efforts to achieve sustainable development.
The Foreign Minister said the Central American nations formed an alliance for this objective two years ago, an alliance which would help them
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realize political, social, economic, cultural and environmental goals. Towards this end, mechanisms of dialogue and cooperation had been established with Mexico, Chile, Canada, United States, Japan, Republic of Korea and the Republic of China in Taiwan. They had also created new profiles for their relationships with the European Union.
He stressed that the development imperative was not exclusive to Central America. International cooperation should not be seen only in terms of help from the richest to the poorest. With this in mind, his country would convene a South-South Conference on "Trade, Finance and Inversion" next January, with non-governmental organizations and the private sector participating. Along with the United Nations Agenda for Development was the need to follow up the agreements and programmes of action adopted at conferences and summit meetings convened by the United Nations during the last decade.
Calling for a restructuring of the United Nations Security Council, he said it was impossible "to reach the year 2000 using the 1945 calendar". In addition, new vitality must be given to the General Assembly, to ensure the principle of universality and to modernize its agenda and procedures. He stressed the importance of the work of the Council and the Secretary-General in the area of preventive diplomacy.
MIHAI POPOV, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Moldova, told the Assembly that in the five years since Moldova proclaimed its independence, and four years since it was admitted to the United Nations, it had tried to demonstrate to the world that it was looking for a worthy place in the international community. Moldova, he said, was irreversibly on the path of democracy, which was the best guarantee of enduring development, peace and social progress.
Democratic reforms in Moldova had been supported by the United Nations and its specialized agencies, European organizations and the international community. He wished to thank them all for that assistance.
The main objectives of Moldova's internal policies were the creation and consolidation of democratic institutions and the development of adequate legislative institutions, which would, together with the new Constitution, guarantee fundamental human rights and freedoms.
He said Moldova, having adopted and put into practice the specific mechanisms and adequate legislation for a market economy, had embarked on a massive privatization programme. In Moldova, as in other countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the transition had encountered difficulties that demanded additional resources. It had also had some negative social effects and Moldova was taking corrective measures.
He said a priority of Moldova's foreign policy was its integration into European economic and political structures. The country was ready to
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collaborate with regional organizations to assure European stability, as well as peace and security worldwide. The option of neutrality, stipulated in its Constitution, explained why Moldova had not taken part in the military structures of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) or other regional organizations.
He said the conflict in the eastern part of the country was still an obstacle in the path towards democratization and to progress and economic reforms. The international community had been informed many times of the violations of human rights that persisted in the region. A peaceful and definitive solution to the problem of the eastern zone of the country would be considerably accelerated by the immediate, complete, orderly and unconditional withdrawal of military formations of the Russian Federation. The presence of these foreign troops was contrary to the Constitution of Moldova.
He said Moldova welcomed the efforts of the United Nations concerning the nuclear-test-ban Treaty, as well as those of the Conference on Disarmament. On the current financial crisis of the United Nations and the reform process, he suggested that a new and adequate methodology for payment be found, which would reflect the capacity of Member States to pay. Moldova, paying a higher quota than other countries with a similar level of development, supported the European Union's proposal concerning a more adequate scale of assessments.
Right of Reply
CHANG SIK SE (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), responding to the statement by Japan, said it demonstrated ignorance of the reality of the situation. Was Japan in a position to make such remarks in this sacred international forum? he asked. Japan was itself engaged in a cover-up of the actions of its war criminals. It had pursued a one-sided policy in support of the United States and South Korea. What issues would be taken up in any four- party talks on the Korean Peninsula? The attempt of Japan, which did not have an independent foreign policy, to become a permanent member of the Council was a mockery. Japan would do better to make reparations for its war crimes.
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