Stating this at the Pakistan Institute of International Affairs on Saturday, Chinese ambassador to Pakistan, Mr Zhang Chunxiang, said: “China firmly supports increase of representation of African countries on the Security Council.”
Any enlargement formula must ensure that small and medium-sized countries have more opportunities to serve as members of the Security Council and participate in its decision-making, he added.
The reforms formula concerning various regions should first achieve consensus within relevant regional groups, he said, adding it was the consistent view of China that the reforms should be realized through a gradual process of democratic discussion, aimed at achieving consensus, he said.
The Chinese ambassador emphasized that the issue of reforms was extremely sensitive and complicated because it was not only crucial to international peace and security, but also to the immediate interest of all member states of the UN.
Mr Zhang Chunxiang was speaking on his country’s stand on the reorganization and enlargement of the UN.
Maintaining that there was still no consensus on such a formula, the Chinese ambassador opposed the “artificial” time-frame for deciding about the “sensitive” issue of enlargement and reform of the UN Security Council, and stressed that it must uphold the principle of geographical balance and reflect the representation of different cultures and civilizations.
China, he said, was supportive of necessary and rational reform of the Security Council with a view to enhancing its capability to respond to global threats and challenges.
He said in Beijing’s view, first of all, the reform of the Security Council should be multi-faceted, which included both the enlargement of the membership and improvement of working methods. At the same time, the Security Council’s authority and efficiency must also be ensured.
The enlargement of the Security Council must give priority to increasing the representation and voice of the developing countries. The developing countries constitute over 2/3 of the whole membership of the UN, but they were seriously under-represented on the Security Council, said the Chinese ambassador.
Therefore, it should be made by all members of the UN and be founded on the will of the vast majority of the membership. It shouldn’t just take care of the concerns of a few states or a part of the membership.
Only decisions achieved through the widest possible consensus can enjoy universal trust and support and serve the common and long-term interests of all the member states of the UN.
At present, after more than half-year’s repeated discussions, differences surrounding the enlargement formula of the Security Council were showing a tendency of further expanding instead of narrowing down, he said, adding the the “Group of Four”, the ‘Uniting for Consensus”, the African Union and the United States have all put forward their draft resolutions or ideas, and the possibility of emergence of other new formulas later on cannot be excluded.
The Chinese ambassador was of the view that the world community was far from a formula that could accommodate the concerns of all sides or one that could win widespread support.
“Under such circumstances, member states need more time to continue dialogue and carry out full consultations in search of a compromise.
“Most member states do not want to be forced to vote on a formula on which there is no broad consensus. Forcing through an immature formula by means of a vote is bound to split member states and regional groups and thus weaken the authority and role of the UN.
“By doing so, it would also defeat totally the original purpose of the Security Council reform,” he said.
Justifying his opposition to any artificial time-frame, on the basis of the above-mentioned reasoning, the Chinese ambassador said the whole membership of the UN places high hopes on the September Summit and they look forward to positive results of the overall reform of the UN so that the organization could maintain vitality and recreate its glories.
The Security Council reform was an important part of the overall reform of the UN. However, reforms in other fields are equally important and the enlargement of the Security Council should not distract the consultations on other important reform proposals.
For several months now, the preparation for the Summit have almost been hijacked by the debate surrounding the enlargement of the Security Council, which has seriously diluted the attention and input to other major issues, like development, security, human rights and the reform of the secretariat.
China, he said, was convinced that member states still have time and opportunity to achieve a broad consensus on the enlargement of the Security Council. The key lies in the genuine political will, and the spirit of compromise of all sides. The unity and consensus of member states was the most valuable asset of the UN, he added.
China urged all member states to proceed from the consideration of maintaining the unity and long-term interest of the UN and make efforts to avoid the unfortunate situation where a showdown on Security Council enlargement is forced upon member states while conditions are not yet ripe.
China and Pakistan, he said, oppose forcible vote on any formula on which there still exist significant differences. As the leading country of the “Uniting for Consensus”, Pakistan had played a very important and positive role in the UN reform, China was willing together with Pakistan and other countries, to cooperate closely to push the UN reform into a cordial way and increase the representation and voice of the developing countries.
Replying to questions, ambassador Zhang Chunxiang said China, Pakistan, Italy and South Korea, as leading countries on consensus formula for UN reforms, were in regular consultations and have evolved a strategy.
He stressed the need for a compromise by all the countries for achieving the objective.
He also spoke of differences between the P-5 countries on re-defining veto powers of the council’s new permanent members and said a decision on council’s reforms be made by all UN members and be founded on the will of a vast majority of members. It should not just take care of concerns of a few states or a part of the membership, he said.
PIIA chairman Fatehyab Ali Khan welcomed the Chinese ambassador. Many diplomats were also present.