Sumario: July 25, 2005: EU Presidency Statement by Dr Kim Howells, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, United Kingdom, on behalf of the European Union: UN/Regional organisations meeting in New York 25 - 26 July 2005 (New York)
Mr President, let me first thank you for organising this timely meeting and to indicate that I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.
It has been more than ten years since, on 1 August 1994, the first meeting of this kind was hosted by the UN Secretary General. It is, however, only the second time that such a large number of international organisations have gathered to discuss the broad agenda of the main challenges to international peace and security. It encompasses very important issues: poverty; terrorism; intra and inter-States conflicts; the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; organised crime; and violations of
human rights. We really appreciate do this opportunity of exchanging views on these important subjects.
The EU believes that by working together, regional and international organisations could have a major impact upon their broader constituencies. The EU can provide the UN a wide and strong support. In accordance with the concept of "effective multilateralism" and the need to strengthen the international order, which are major strategic objectives listed in the European Security Strategy, the EU actively contributes to the strengthening of its commitment towards the UN and regional
organisations.
Mr President,
Let me now run through our approach to the recommendations of the High-Level Panel and of the Secretary General's "In larger freedom" Report in view of the upcoming Summit in September. The EU will strengthen its efforts in our common strive for an ambitious and balanced outcome at the Summit. The EU considers it is crucial to agree a package of development, human rights, security and UN administrative reforms at the Summit, based on the Secretary General's Report, which the EU strongly
supports. It should contribute to a strengthened UN, better able to address the multidimensional threats and challenges to international peace, security and development. We support the case made by the SG for a more comprehensive concept of collective security. We share the view that development, security and human rights, rule of law and democracy are interdependent and mutually reinforcing. The EU also recognises the importance of the sustainable management of natural resources for conflict
alleviation and security.
While recognising that developing countries have the primary responsibility for leading their own development, the EU fully assumes its part of the shared responsibility for development. The EU agrees with the approach of scaling-up aid to countries with ambitious MDGs based on national development strategies. We welcome the SG's recommendation that, starting in 2005, developing countries that put forward sound, transparent and accountable national strategies and require increased development
assistance should receive a sufficient increase in aid. This aid should be of sufficient quality and arriving with sufficient speed to enable them to achieve all of the MDGs and we will work to turn this approach into reality.
The EU has consistently deployed major efforts in the field of increased ODA. The agreement to increase aid to an average of 0.56% of GNI by 2010 - on route to 0.7% by 2015 - will deliver an additional EUR 40 billion a year compared with 2004. This is an enormous commitment. The EU welcomes the recent proposals by the G8 on innovative sources of financing and on debt relief.
The EU, at the level of Heads of State and Government, has recognised the special needs of Africa as well as of least developed countries in general and is currently contemplating concrete action to support Africa in the context of its efforts to meet the MDGs. The EU is committed to act on these needs, and welcomes proposals to support action by the African Union and its members, including those of the Commission for Africa. The EU also welcomes the commitments to Africa made at the G8 Summit
in Gleneagles.
The EU wishes to emphasise the importance of sustainable development and the protection of the natural resource base for development and poverty eradication. Environmental sustainability is essential if we are to meet MDGs on poverty, health or gender equality. In this context, the integration of environmental issues into development strategies is needed especially in the field of water and energy, and in the struggle against desertification. The protection of biodiversity is also crucial if we
want to maintain the biological stability of ecosystems. As regards climate change, progress for further action post-2012, the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, is essential. The EU also calls on States that have not yet done so to ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
The EU agrees with the SG that the WTO Hong-Kong Ministerial Meeting in December is a chance not to be missed and welcomes the call for rapid completion of negotiations, in a way consistent with the development goals. The EU agrees on the need for more and better trade-related assistance and capacity building to help developing countries face the challenge of integration into the multilateral trading system and better reaps the benefits of trade liberalisation.
Mr President,
Due to the interconnectedness of security, development and human rights, we must tackle the security concerns of all states and address in an integrated manner their economic, environmental and social dimensions if we are to achieve our overriding goal of sustainable development. The concept of security includes the dimensions of state security and human security: with sovereignty come rights and responsibilities.
The EU strongly supports the strategy on terrorism presented by the Secretary General in Madrid. The EU acknowledges the need to develop further and then implement a comprehensive UN counter terrorism strategy. In particular, the EU stresses in the strongest possible terms its support for the Secretary General's call upon the 60th Session of the General Assembly to conclude the negotiation of a Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism, while preserving the existing definitions of
terrorism included in the 13 UN counter-terrorism conventions and protocols. The EU supports the work of the UN to ensure universal respect for and full implementation of all relevant UNSCRs and has urged its member States to sign, ratify and fully implement all 13 UN instruments, including the recently agreed Convention on the Suppression of acts of terrorism which has been opened to signature on 14th September.
The EU places good governance and the respect for human rights among the most important preventive measures in the fight against terrorism. We also emphasise the importance of fully respecting international human rights law, refugee law and international humanitarian law in the fight against terrorism.
The proliferation of WMD and their means of delivery is a growing threat to international peace and security. The EU considers that States must fulfil their arms control, disarmament and non-proliferation commitments to fight against this threat, and that all instruments available should be used to this end. The EU welcomes the SG's proposal on small arms and light weapons and strongly supports the adoption of an international legally binding instrument concerning their marking and tracing and
actively pursues the objective of an international instrument on the brokering of SALW, including ammunition in both instruments.
Mr President,
The EU reaffirms its strong commitment to human rights, the rule of law and democracy. These are core values that are essential for a world of justice, opportunity and stability. No security agenda and no drive for development will be successful unless they are based on the foundation of respect for human dignity. The EU stresses the need to strengthen the overall human rights system, most notably by mainstreaming human rights throughout the UN system, including in the deliberations of the
Security Council and in the UN's work at country level. The EU supports the call for the strengthening of the role of the HCHR including through increased financial and staff resources.
The EU endorses the concept of "Responsibility to protect". The responsibility to provide security and protection for civilians lies primarily with national states. However, if a state is unable or unwilling to do so, and if a situation of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity or other massive human rights violations occurs or threatens to occur, the international community should act to protect these civilians and thereby also help to maintain international peace and security.
Flagrant violations of human rights including acts of genocide call for strong response and action from the international community.
The EU stresses its strong support for the International Criminal Court, and for the ad hoc and mixed international tribunals. The EU also takes this opportunity to emphasise its support also for the International Court of Justice.
The EU strongly promotes UN reform with the objective of strengthening the international community's capacity to face new threats and the broad spectrum of present-day challenges. Institutional reform is not an end in itself, but should flow from objectively assessed needs and our determination to make multilateralism more effective. Our common objective should be to enhance the credibility and overall performance of the UN system.
The EU recognises the need to reform the main UN bodies, among them the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the Security Council, with a view to enhancing the representativeness, transparency and efficiency of the system.
Institutional reform in the field of human rights must strengthen the UN human rights system as a whole, reflecting the universality of human rights and their central position in the UN system (GAERC conclusions June 16/17). The EU therefore supports the proposal to establish a Human Rights Council with a robust mandate to replace the Commission on Human Rights (EU priorities for the 60th GA). To the existing and well-established practice of dealing with situations in particular countries the
future standing Human Rights Council should bring as a genuine added value the ability to effectively address urgent human rights situations. At the same time the achievement of the existing CHR should be maintained and strengthened.
The EU also underlines the need to improve and strengthen the UN humanitarian system. It supports the proposals set forward by the SG to reinforce the capacity to respond to major disasters and emergencies. We hope the SG's Humanitarian Response Review will propose benchmarks on the levels of performance we should expect the humanitarian system to deliver.
The EU welcomes the SG's intention to improve co-ordination between funds, programs and agencies, and to embark on a more radical reform process in order create better coherence across the UN system. With regard to international environmental governance the EU reiterates its support for the Secretary General's proposal for a new structure, based on existing institutions. The EU therefore would like to see the establishment of a UN agency for the environment, based on UNEP, with a revised and
strengthened mandate, and stable, adequate and predictable financial contributions.
The way the Organisation is managed is key to its ability to deliver the gains we hope to realise at the Summit. The Secretary General must be given the authority and flexibility to manage the Organisation as a Chief Executive Officer. He cannot be expected to ensure that the UN operates effectively if he is checked and micro-managed at every turn by Member States. But in parallel, we would expect to see more robust measures in the following areas:
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