Security Council meeting 5968

The President

I should like to inform the Council that I have received letters from the representatives of Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Germany, Guatemala, Iceland, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Liechtenstein, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Slovakia, Switzerland, Tonga and Uruguay, in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In accordance with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the consideration without the right to vote, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure.

It is so decided.

The President

The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. The Security Council is meeting in accordance with the understanding reached in its prior consultations.

I wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2008/528, containing a letter dated 4 August 2008 from the Permanent Representative of Belgium addressed to the Secretary-General, transmitting a concept paper on the item under consideration.

I also wish to draw the attention of Council members to document S/2008/418, containing a letter dated 20 June 2008 from the Permanent Representative of Switzerland addressed to the President of the Security Council.

I welcome the participation of the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, at this meeting and invite him to take the floor.

The Secretary-General

Thank you, Mr. President, for this opportunity to address the Council on such an important subject. I welcome this open debate on implementation of measures intended to make the Council more efficient and transparent, and I am grateful to you, Mr. President, for bringing us together. Let me also express my appreciation for the tireless efforts of the delegations of Japan, Slovakia and Panama, as successive Chairs of the Council's revitalized Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions.

Over the past years, the Security Council has faced increasingly complex responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security. At the same time, we have experienced a surge in the demand for United Nations conflict prevention and management, peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities.

This makes it essential for the Council to keep addressing issues related to its working methods, including by implementing the measures set out in the note of the President of the Council two years ago. These measures are a key step in making the United Nations more efficient, effective and accountable in the face of a growing array of new challenges.

I commend the Council for its efforts so far. Consider what progress has been made in implementing the measures since the adoption of the note by the President of the Security Council (S/2006/507) in July 2006. The Secretariat has also taken steps to make the recommendations in the note a reality, including those related to the timeliness and content of my reports to the Council, those on the familiarization of duly elected Council members, and the main technical points regarding wider and more user-friendly dissemination of information on the Council's programme and activities to non-Council members.

Since taking office, I have stressed the importance of full accountability as a fundamental organizing principle and operational guideline for the work of the Organization. As a Secretariat, we must ensure that we work and deliver as one to meet the mandates that the Security Council gives us and, at the same time, hold ourselves accountable for our behaviour and for outcomes. I am confident that the Security Council, which carries out its responsibilities on behalf of all Member States, is also guided by this principle. I appreciate that the members of the Council are committed to interacting with the wider United Nations membership through greater transparency, openness in decision-making and inclusiveness. I consider this to be pivotal to the way the Council works and is perceived by the international community.

Since 1994, when the Security Council held its first debate on this issue, it has come a long way. I trust that the Council will consolidate the gains that have been made and keep moving forward. I look forward to working with the Council in strengthening even further the cooperation between it and the Secretariat. I shall keep extending my full support to the Security Council and its members for their tireless efforts to make this indispensable organ more efficient, transparent and inclusive.

The President

I thank the Secretary-General for his statement.

In accordance with the understanding reached among Council members, I wish to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than five minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Delegations with lengthy statements are kindly requested to circulate the text in writing and to deliver a condensed version when speaking in the Chamber.

I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.

Mr. Natalegawa (Indonesia)

As a country that has consistently advocated reform of the working methods of the Security Council, Indonesia naturally strongly supports the convening of the present debate. We welcome, in particular, its open nature, as the Council can thereby benefit from the views of the wider membership of the United Nations.

We appreciate very much the important statement made by the Secretary-General reflecting the importance he attaches to the subject we are considering today.

Indonesia associates itself with the statement to be delivered later today by the representative of Cuba, on behalf on the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).

My delegation attaches great weight to the measures identified in the note by the President of the Security Council contained in document S/2006/507 (19 July 2006). It is our belief that a systematic and concerted application of such measures would indeed help promote the Council's transparency, interaction with non-Council members and efficiency. My delegation is therefore encouraged to note that the two years since the note's issuance have seen some progress in its implementation.

While welcoming this development, Indonesia can also see room for further progress. It is our conviction that the objectives of greater transparency, interaction with non-Council members and efficiency are compatible. Indeed, they are quite inseparable from efforts to further enhance the legitimacy of the Council's decisions and their effectiveness.

Transparency has recently been enhanced. Monthly programmes of work and forecasts have been made available. The United Nations Journal announces both formal and informal consultations of the Council and, to a certain degree, the meetings of the subsidiary organs. Not least, we have seen efforts to give renewed impetus to open meetings.

However, not infrequently, the monthly programme of work and forecast of the Council bears little resemblance to the actual work of the Council in a given month. Unforeseen crises invariably seize the Council's attention. Meetings, including formal and informal consultations, are convened at short notice. It is incumbent that the Council recognizes that this way of working is increasingly becoming the norm, rather than the exception. Thus, it would be appropriate for the Council to further develop an information dissemination system that responds to the dynamism of a fast evolving situation and yet is comprehensive and inclusive in its reach, in order to ensure that the wider membership of the United Nations is informed in a timely and accurate manner of the Council's activities.

We welcome the increased resort to open, formal meetings as another facet of transparency. In order to increase transparency, especially at an early stage of consideration of an issue, the Council should strive for open meetings. Indeed, unless there are strong, irrefutable arguments to the contrary, we believe that reports by the Secretary-General, already published and available to Member States, should be presented and considered at open meetings of the Security Council. It would be to the Council's advantage to hear the views of interested Member States at that stage as well. Consideration of any follow-up action by the Council may take place at its subsequent informal consultations.

Nevertheless, care needs to be exercised in evaluating the actual significance of the reported increased resort to formal meetings. We must ensure, for example, that the potential contributions of such formal meetings are fully harvested. The views of the wider membership deserve full consideration. However, not infrequently, presidential statements are issued immediately after open debates and resolutions are adopted before the views of the concerned countries are fully heard. The Council should allow sufficient time to incorporate the valuable inputs from concerned Member States.

Also, we must be cognizant of the possibility that, as resort to formal meetings becomes more common, there may be a tendency for substantive consideration of Council decisions to take place outside of formal meetings, and even outside of consultations of the whole, through such processes as the "groups of friends".

The latter brings us to the question of greater interaction with non-Council members. We support the efforts of the Council to consult with the wider membership of the United Nations and other relevant stakeholders, particularly when drafting resolutions, presidential statements and press statements. We believe such interaction has the potential not only to enhance the quality of the Council's decisions, but also to engender an equally important sense of common ownership in them, thereby strengthening the prospects for their effective implementation.

As a country that strongly espouses greater cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations, Indonesia naturally attaches particular importance to the ways and means that might facilitate interaction between them. In line with resolution 1631 (2005) and the World Summit Outcome document, the Security Council has on some occasions conducted enhanced consultations and cooperation with regional and subregional organizations, as well as the Group of 77 and China, the NAM and other groupings, to speak on specific subjects in its open debates.

Investment in such interaction would help enhance the wealth of information, insights and the spectrum of perspectives that guide the Council's deliberation and decisions and also promote synergy between the Council's efforts and those of regional organizations. Of particular significance is the promotion of interaction between the Security Council and the troop-contributing countries (TCCs), not only in the drawing up of mandates, but also in their implementation and when the situation on the ground demands it.

In short, more interaction between the Council and the wider membership of the United Nations should be promoted. A footnote, however, may be needed. It is important that such interaction be inclusive, involving each member of the Council, consistent in its application, reflecting the Council's readiness to engage with parties that may make contributions to its decision-making, and transparent. Taken to the extreme, we are concerned by situations in which discussions on draft resolutions and statements are carried out outside the Council proper, leaving less than optimal opportunities for deliberation on them within the Council.

No doubt, we are all for the promotion of efficiency in the Council's working methods. In that connection, Indonesia wishes to acknowledge the important steps the Secretariat has taken in carrying out several of the recommendations identified in the note by the President contained in document S/2006/507. I should now like to share some concluding thoughts.

Form follows function. We believe that in considering the various facets of the Council's working methods, including the possible format of Council meetings, it is important that we not lose sight of the underlying objectives or aims of the activity in question. With regard to consolidation and further progress, we believe that it is important that the progress already made in the implementation of the note by the President be consolidated and that renewed and concerted efforts be made where progress is yet to be made.

As a matter of principle, Indonesia shall consistently place a premium on working methods that promote transparency and greater interaction between the Council and the wider membership. Not least, we shall consistently place a premium on working methods that offer the best chance for the Council to speak with a common voice in carrying out its Charter-mandated responsibilities. It is imperative that the Council be transparent as well as equitable and just in its approach to all threats and disputes that imperil international peace and stability. We seek a Council that safeguards the interests of all and whose decisions and actions are in full consonance with the established principles of international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

Mr. Li Kexin (China)

First of all, I would like to thank Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon for his statement. I also wish to thank the Secretariat for its strong support for the day-to-day work of the Security Council. We would also like to thank Costa Rica and the other members of the group of five small nations for their initiative in convening this meeting.

In accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the members of the Security Council act on behalf of all Member States in shouldering the noble mission of maintaining international peace and security. Successfully carrying out that task depends upon the political will of Member States and, to a certain extent, on whether the Council has in place a set of working methods that are scientific, reasonable and effective. An ancient Chinese saying illustrates that same idea: in order to do a good job, a craftsman must first sharpen his tools. With regard to the Security Council, working methods that are reasonable and applicable constitute an indispensable tool in accomplishing our mission.

Profound changes are taking place in the international situation. The agenda and practices of the Security Council have also been adjusted from time to time. The Council's workload has increased drastically. The Security Council faces many new situations and problems. In order to better carry out its duties and increase its ability to confront various challenges to international peace and security, the Council must learn from its experience, keep up with the times and adopt more scientific and advanced working methods. This is not only a concern for the members of the Council, but also for the overall membership.

With regard to improving the working methods of the Security Council, in recent years the Council has undertaken many useful efforts. The note by the President contained in document S/2006/507 reflected the positive will and determination of the Council to increase its effectiveness and transparency. There has also been an increase in recent years in the number of public meetings. Coordination with troop-contributing countries has also been strengthened. In the course of taking decisions, the members of the Council are trying their best to consider and adopt the reasonable opinions of various parties.

Generally speaking, the Security Council has made progress in enhancing its transparency, increasing its interaction with non-members of the Council and strengthening its effectiveness. However, this is no time for complacency. We must recognize that both the general membership of the United Nations and civil society have greater expectations as regards the Council and its working methods. Improving working methods is a long-term endeavour that should always be part of the Council's agenda and should be given priority consideration. Improving working methods is also an incremental undertaking. We must safeguard what we have achieved, maintain the momentum and continue to make progress. Improving working methods should also be a results-oriented undertaking that closely integrates debate on related issues and includes concrete measures.

China supports the Security Council's improvement of its working methods. We would like to thank the delegation of Belgium for the concept paper (S/2008/528) it has prepared for this open debate, with whose relevant analysis we agree. I should now like to make a few comments.

First, with regard to enhancing transparency, China supports the Security Council's holding of more open meetings. However, we believe that it is necessary for us to improve how public meetings are conducted. We should avoid reducing such meetings to lengthy and pro forma exercises. The interactive nature of public meetings should also be strengthened. The President of the Security Council or his or her designate should, in a timely, comprehensive and accurate manner, brief non-members of the Security Council about its work.

Secondly, with regard to increasing communication with non-members of the Security Council, China has always believed that the Council should do its best to listen to the opinions of all parties in addressing concrete issues, especially the parties to the issue and the countries of the region concerned. During meetings with troop-contributing countries, those countries should be encouraged to provide input. We also encourage the members of the Security Council to strengthen informal communications with non-members of the Council. The format used by the Council to carry out informal dialogues with organizations such as the African Union should also be further exploited. At the same time, the Council should also step up its exchanges and sharing of information with other United Nations bodies, especially the General Assembly and the Economic and Social Council.

Thirdly, with regard to increasing its effectiveness given the drastic growth in the number of items on the Security Council's agenda, the Council should concentrate on priorities and focus its attention on the most urgent issues. When placing new items on its agenda, the Council should adopt a responsible and cautious attitude. We agree on the need for a review of the current items on the agenda, in order to save resources and enhance efficiency. We are also concerned about the excessive attention given to theoretical issues. In addition, during consultations, full consideration should be given to the technical difficulties faced by Member States. Draft texts should also be circulated to all members as soon as possible, in order that countries may have enough time to consult their capitals.

Improving the Council's working methods is going to pose a daunting challenge for its work. Fortunately, the Informal Working Group on Documentation and Other Procedural Questions is playing a positive role by continuously considering and debating this issue. China encourages the Working Group to maintain enthusiasm for its work and to put forward useful suggestions on enhancing transparency and efficiency, as well as to carry out its work in a dynamic way in order to achieve tangible results. It is our hope that, with the common efforts of all members, positive changes can take place continuously in the work of the Council.

Mr. Ettalhi (Libya)

I would like to welcome the presence of Mr. Ban Ki-moon, the Secretary-General, among us, and thank him for his statement. I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, and, through you, the group of five small countries, for choosing the timing of this debate and its subject. At the outset, we would like to align ourselves with the statement to be made later by the representative of Cuba on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement.

This is the first time since 1994 that we have held an open debate on the reform of the working methods of the Council. Such a reform would be carried out on the basis of the concept paper before us, which has accurately laid out the framework of the discussion. The formal aspects of the note in document S/2006/507 do not undermine the importance of this debate, and, has been said, format is a twin of freedom. The note codifies practices that have been imposed since the 1990s to accommodate the changes that have taken place in the international environment and the increasing acceptance of the role of the United Nations in dispute settlement. We have therefore left behind the atmosphere of confidentiality of previous decades and established rules for announcements, statements and important briefings. There is no doubt that doing so offers a response to some of the demands of the international community, in particular after the holding of the 2005 World Summit.

Despite all of that, ensuring continuous improvement means, by definition, that such efforts must be continued. The note is not the first attempt -- and will not the last -- and, as stated in its introduction, it is no more than a number of measures that were previously agreed upon.

To summarize, complex texts that are difficult to understand do not provide an adequate response to the issues evoked, including those contained in the Secretariat's document addressed to the Council dated 17 February 2007. That response highlights the fact that progress must be made on other elements, and a balance must be struck between the question of whether to hold informal consultations or meetings on the one hand and the type of meetings to be held on the other. Informal consultations, which take up most of our time must only be resorted to in exceptional circumstances. How can we respond to demands for reform and deal with matters that are important to all those who work for the Council, under Articles 24 and 30 of the Charter, when we are dealing with a nearly invisible body that is continuously in session behind closed doors, without any need or any objective justification for such an institution?

Concerning meetings, if the note considers public meetings more important than private meetings, the many types of open meetings and public meetings and the reasons for selecting each one of them need more objective checks and definitions. We believe that an open debate, which is closer to a public debate, under rule 48 of the provisional rules of procedure, must be considered more important than debates in any other format. That has not, regretfully, been the case. There is still hesitation -- albeit often selective -- within the Council in resorting to that format.

We have no doubt that more transparency would enhance the legitimacy of our resolutions and promote their wider acceptance. Such acceptance will be achieved when the background and the different points of view in our debates are known by all and our commitment to the principles of the United Nations and Article 24 of the Charter can be verified by all. Some might say that an increase in transparency would be at the expense of the efficiency that is so important for a body responsible for international peace and security. But in focusing on efficiency, we should look beyond mere decision-making: an increase in transparency will not affect efficiency if it is carried out in the following manner.

First, we must expand open debates, particularly on issues that have been under lengthy consideration by the Council, so that open debates become the rule and anything else the exception. The limitation of open debates or their late announcement affects the right of those interested in addressing the Council to do so and makes their participation more rhetorical than actual or effective.

Secondly, we must develop the other formats of open debates, particularly press briefings, so that they allow wider participation, which would respond to the needs of smaller States for comprehensive briefings. Articles 31 and 32 of the Charter, in particular, address that matter.

Thirdly, we must develop and codify the participation of States that are not members of the Council in the work of the subsidiary bodies of the Council.

Fourthly, we must deepen the Council's relationship with regional organizations such as the African Union, since many of the issues that are considered before the Council have a direct impact on their members.

There is no doubt that procedural matters evoke differences among Member States, something that the United Nations has known since its inception. The adoption of the rules of procedure of the Council has been frozen for a long time, and those rules remain provisional. There are many demands, of course, from within the Council and General Assembly as well as from outside, that we take some sort of action concerning this issue.

A working group has been established and continues to undertake very important efforts under the leadership of Ambassador Arias. We are committed, under the terms of concept paper S/2006/507, to continue to work for that purpose. The working group has presented today a very important issue concerning its work. We support its work and we would like to get a briefing as soon as possible on that matter.

Mr. Jurica (Croatia)

A problem occurred in a Python script. Here is the sequence of function calls leading up to the error, in the order they occurred.

<type 'exceptions.UnicodeEncodeError'>: 'ascii' codec can't encode character u'\xe0' in position 1790: ordinal not in range(128)
      args = ('ascii', u'\n\t<p id="pg007-bk01-pa01">Allow me to first of a...ay be appropriate at some time in the future.</p>', 1790, 1791, 'ordinal not in range(128)')
      encoding = 'ascii'
      end = 1791
      message = ''
      object = u'\n\t<p id="pg007-bk01-pa01">Allow me to first of a...ay be appropriate at some time in the future.</p>'
      reason = 'ordinal not in range(128)'
      start = 1790