Nora Owen
Question:44 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the progress, if any, on Ireland's campaign for a seat on the UN Security Council. [11994/99]
Written Answers. - UN Security Council.
Liz McManus
Question:65 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the response, if any, Ireland has received for its objective of winning a seat on the Security Council of the United Nations; the plans, if any, the Government has to promote reforms of the United Nations, particularly in regard to the composition of the Security Council; its priorities if a seat is secured; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12029/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 44 and 65 together.
Ireland is seeking election to one of the two non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council which are designated for the western Europe and others group of states for the two-year term 2001-2002. The election will take place in the 185-member UN General Assembly in the autumn of 2000, probably in October. The election is being contested by three other candidates, Norway and Turkey, and since 5 March 1999, Italy. Successful candidates will require the support of two-thirds of those states present and voting. In effect, this means that the support of around 120 states will be needed to secure election. The election is by secret ballot.
As Minister for Foreign Affairs, I have sought support for Ireland's candidacy on all appropriate occasions, including on official visits abroad. Since September last, I have personally discussed Ireland's candidacy with representatives of a large number of United Nations member states.
The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and other members of the Government have also promoted the Irish candidacy in their contacts with other administrations, where this has been appropriate.
In September, before the campaign entered a more intense phase, we had around thirty commitments. This level of support has been built on and I am determined that by September-October 2000 when the election takes place, we will have the necessary number of votes to secure election. As I have indicated previously, as this is a contested election, I am reluctant to indicate the exact level of support committed to Ireland at this stage.
As regards UN reform, in line with the commitment in An Action Programme for the Millennium, Ireland actively supports efforts to modernise and reform the UN system so that it can be more effective in responding to the complex and difficult challenges in the coming millennium. Our priority is to secure agreement on the measures necessary to revitalise the United Nations and to ensure more vigorous action in fulfilling its mandate under the UN charter of maintaining international peace and security and promoting the economic and social development of all member states. With our EU partners, we have given strong support to measures aimed at securing a better co-ordinated and more streamlined UN, which makes more effective use of personnel and financial resources, and at improving the setting of priorities for action by the UN.
Ireland takes an active role in ongoing discussions in New York on Security Council reform and, as a member of an informal group of ten small and medium-sized states, has played a significant bridge-building role in the debate. Ireland supports a reform of the composition of the Security Council which would make it more representative of the general membership of the UN. We favour a small increase in permanent members, from its present number of five, selected on the basis of global influence and contribution to the work of the UN as well as considerations of equitable geographical distribution. We also favour a small increase in non-permanent members of around five, with these new seats being allocated to the various regional groups. In addition to the enlargement issue, Ireland favours improved and more transparent working methods of the council involving more frequent consultation between it and the General Assembly, the Secretary-General and other major organs of the UN system. We also see a need for more restrictive use of the veto power of the permanent members of the Security Council and we believe that the veto power should not be extended to any new permanent members.
In the Security Council, Ireland would participate fully in formulating and overseeing implementation of the council's policy decisions on a wide range of issues involving the maintenance of international peace and security. As a small state, our approach would be informed by an historical experience representative of that of many member states and by our consistent commitment to the UN in the fields of disarmament, economic and social development, peacekeeping and human rights.
Membership of the Security Council would enable Ireland to apply lessons drawn from its own recent national experience and to offer, for use by others, where appropriate, the approach – reconciliation, mutual respect, partnership – which has informed the peace process in Northern Ireland.
One of the features of the reform process under way at the UN is the increasing integration of the hitherto diverse efforts of the organisation. In this way, the Security Council agenda bears ever more directly on the areas of development, including human security and post conflict peace building, human rights and humanitarian endeavour. We would reflect in the council, concerns held among the broad membership and shared by Ireland on the links between human development and security, conflict prevention, etc.
As a member of the Security Council, Ireland would seek to contribute more effectively to the promotion of reform of the Council itself in keeping with the policy approach I have just outlined.