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Speech
Statement to the United Nations Special Committee on the Charter on behalf of the European Union

Date of Speech : 14-03-2005

Place : New York

Speaker : Carl Peersman

Policy area : General Affairs and External Relations


Mr. Chairman,

I have the honor to speak on behalf of the European Union. The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey and Croatia* , the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Serbia and Montenegro, and the EFTA country Iceland, member of the European Economic Area, align themselves with this statement.

Mr. Chairman,

General Assembly-resolution 59/44 has given the mandate to the Special Committee to continue the consideration of all proposals before it. These proposals are laid down in document 59/33 and pertain to issues regarding the maintenance of international peace and security, the peaceful settlement of disputes, proposals concerning the Trusteeship Council, the Repertory of Practice of UN Organs and the Repertoire of the practice of the Security Council, as well as the working methods of the Special Committee. A number of these issues have also been dealt with by the report of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change of December 2, 2004.

I would like first to refer to the deliberations on the maintenance of international peace and security, in particular with regard to the implementation of the Charter provisions relating to assistance to third States affected by sanctions. The European Union is of the opinion that sanctions can be and have been effectively employed against States, entities, and groups of individuals that threaten international peace and security. However, it realises that sanctions can entail unintended negative effects on civilian population and third states. Therefore, we welcome the continuing recourse of the Security Council to targeted sanctions, which preserve the effectiveness of sanctions, while minimising their unintended negative impact. We support the continuation of debate on how to further reduce unintended negative effects.

In this context, we welcome that important work on this subject is done in other fora within the United Nations. Member States of the EU and the EU Commission have dedicated conferences and workshops to specific questions related to sanctions. In this respect I would like to mention the seminar on “restrictive measures (sanctions) decided in the framework of the UN and their implementation by the EU�?, organised in New York on March 22 by Luxembourg’s Presidency of the European Union.

The Secretary-General presented his report on the implementation of the Charter provisions relating to assistance to third States affected by sanctions, but also the Security Council undertook action in this regard, for example the establishment of the informal working group of the Security Council on general issues of sanctions, and the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team established in accordance with Security Council resolution 1526 (2004). We are looking forward to constructive discussions and exchange of views within the informal working group. Furthermore, as you may be aware the High-Level Panel has a number of recommendations on sanctions (178-182).

We are aware of the Russian Federation revised working paper, contained in document A/59/33 para 70. This paper aims at a declaration on the base-line conditions and standard criteria for the introduction and implementation of sanctions and coercive measures. The paper provides food for thought for the consideration of sanctions while respecting the mandate of the Special Committee on the Charter. The European Union wishes to reiterate, however, its position that the Special Committee should avoid dealing with issues that have been assigned and are examined elsewhere.

With regard to the peaceful settlement of disputes, the European Union reiterates its support for placing emphasis on the existing means of peaceful settlement, the need to have recourse to them at an early stage, and the principle of free choice of means (based on art. 33 of the UN Charter).

Mr. Chairman,

Regarding the Repertory of Practice of UN Organs and the Repertoire of the practice of the Security Council, the European Union welcomes the conclusions of the Secretary-General in his report on these publications. The European Union took note of the current status of the publications, and especially welcomes the progress made towards making the Repertory available on the internet without costs for the United Nations.

Mr. Chairman,

As regards the working methods of the Special Committee, the European Union supports the suggestions made in the revised working paper that was introduced by Japan, and co-sponsored by Korea, Thailand, Uganda and Australia.

We regret that until now only minimal reforms in the working methods of the Committee could be achieved. The Union reiterates that it still stands ready to support initiatives that could improve the working methods of the Committee.

* Croatia continues to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.



This page was last modified on : 16-03-2005

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