unitex@rubbs.fidonet.org (unitex) (10/12/89)
a step forward in the right direction and complemented each
other.
On the question of peaceful settlement of disputes, he supported
proposals on the establishment of a commission for good offices,
mediation and conciliation. He was also satisfied with the
progress of work by the Special Committee on the rationalization
of United Nations procedures.
JERRY E.J. MBURI (United Republic of Tanzania) said the concept
of fact-finding by the United Nations was not a new one and that
it had in the past been made use of by the Secretary-General,
the General Assembly and the Security Council. The task of the
Special Committee on the Charter had been to make known its
existence. The concept should be properly defined and
identified by a specific name reflecting its nature and mandate.
The question as to who should initiate a mission depended on who
dealt with what. In that respect, there was a need for
flexibility. Without prejudicing the provisions of Chapter VII
of the Charter, he said, the General Assembly should in
principle play a central role in the maintenance of international
peace and security.
On the question of peaceful settlement of disputes, he supported
the Romanian proposal on the resort to a commission for good
offices, mediation and conciliation within the United Nations
and said the proposal should be annexed to the report of the
Committee to the General Assembly. He said efforts of the
Secretary-General to follow-up on the implementation of
decisions adopted by the General Assembly should not be hampered
or undermined by double standards, and in that connection wished
to know how the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of
Disputes was being carried out by Member States.
VITALY STEPANOV (Ukraine) said the positive changes taking place
in international relations offered a unique opportunity for
strengthening the role of the United Nations in the maintainance
of international peace and security. International law and
provisions of the Charter must be respected.
He said the use of fact-finding missions could strengthen the
role of the United Nations in preventing conflict situations. On
the basis of the two working papers on the subject, the Special
Committee could in the near future begin work on an
international instrument which should for the first time
encourage the use of such missions as an element in enhancing the
peace-making potential of the Organization. The instrument
should contain the mechanisms and methods for their use by
Member States as well as organs of the United Nation.
He supported the notification of Member States by the General
Assembly during its current session of the proposal on the
establishment of a commission for good offices, mediation and
conciliation. On the question of rationalization of existing
procedures of the United Nations, he shared the
view that the adoption of decisions by consensus was one of the
ways to enhance the work of the General Assembly. That should
not, however, detract from the importance of decisions adopted
by a vote.
JOSE R. SANDOVAL (Ecuador) said his country had always supported
the concept of peaceful settlement of disputes and so it also
favoured the Special Committee on the Charter's work on resort
to fact-finding missions to achieve that goal.
The subject of rationalization of existing procedures of the
United Nations needed stronger support, he said. Ecuador
believed a deadline should be set to end deliberations on the
matter, thereby halting a "vicious cycle". As for consensus, his
delegation believed it might be the best way for adopting
resolutions. It would allow extreme positions to be reconciled
with others, but that result might not be fully satisfactory to
all. In contrast, he said, votes permitted the voicing of
dissent and also gave the majority the opportunity to state its
position.
He supported all decisions that barred the use of force. As for
the proposed resort to a commission of good offices, mediation
or conciliation to settle disputes, he believed that proposal
should be annexed to a decision.
* Origin: UNITEX --> Toward a United Species (1:107/501)
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