Statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of the Argentine Republic, Ambassador María del Carmen Squeff

November 16th

 

Mr. President:

First of all, I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of Ambassadors Nusseibeh of the United Arab Emirates and Wronecka of Poland in the arduous task of co-facilitating the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council Reform during the 74th Session of the General Assembly, at the extraordinary circumstances posed by COVID-19.

I also wish to congratulate Ambassador Wronecka of Poland for her confirmation and Ambassador Al Thani of Qatar for her appointment as facilitators for the current session and I would like to express to them that Argentina will continue to cooperate constructively in pursuit of achieving tangible progress on this important issue.

Notwithstanding the fact that Argentina subscribes to the intervention made by the distinguished Permanent Representative of Italy on behalf of Uniting for Consensus, I wish to highlight some aspects.

Mr. President:

Just two months ago we committed ourselves, in the Declaration for the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations, to breathe new life into the debates on Security Council reform. We all know that this will be possible only if we renew our political will to move towards a solution that enjoys the widest possible political agreement. At UfC we are convinced that we must move firmly towards the comprehensive reform of the Council and that the reform of the Security Council must not only be a priority in the foreign policy of those who aspire to be permanent members.

Argentina reiterates its commitment to a negotiating process governed by the principle of transparency, inclusiveness and a spirit of flexibility, and reaffirms its deep multilateral vocation to achieve a successful result.

Together with the group Uniting for Consensus (UfC) we are willing to continue working in favor of a viable and realistic reform, exploring intermediate and alternative formulas that, respecting the equality of the States and an adequate rotation, allow us to reach the broadest possible consensus.

Mr. President:

Argentina believes that in order to advance concretely in the present session of the General Assembly and to achieve the broadest possible political support for the reform of the Security Council, it is essential to find a common denominator capable of bringing positions closer together and finding an agreement acceptable to all.

We need to continue our substantive discussions, working towards reaching greater convergences. Far from it, promoting procedural shortcuts or diverting discussions towards issues that are outside the mandate that was given to us by decision 62/557, will only crystallize positions known to all today and will definitely move us away from the political agreement that we agree on. we must get.

At UfC we have demonstrated flexibility and willingness to work on a compromise solution based on new, non-permanent long-term members with the possibility of immediate reelection. This is due to the fact that the proposal that receives the unanimous support of the Member States is to increase the number of non-permanent members.

Mr. President:

As stated by Italy on behalf of the UfC Group, there is also consensus on the need to correct the under-representation of certain regions, particularly the African continent.

The Uniting for Consensus proposal addresses this concern and represents the only compromise proposal presented in recent years with the aim of addressing in a balanced and fair manner the aspirations expressed by the different Groups that intervene in these deliberations.

The UfC proposal aims to achieve a reform of the Security Council that is equally satisfactory for all the Members of the Organization, without placing national aspirations above the common good.

The sovereign equality of the States, a principle defended by Argentina even before the very creation of the Organization, is only honored by achieving the conditions so that all Member States can access a non-permanent position in the Security Council, avoiding privileges for a few countries and giving greater prominence to equitable regional representation.

Mr. President:

The veto issue should be better debated because of its scope, implications for the reform, and the consequences it generates in terms of the credibility of the Organization. Argentina is convinced that the veto restricts, cuts and limits the actions of the Council and therefore favors its abolition. As long as this is not possible, Argentina adheres to the Code of Conduct regarding Security Council action against genocide, crimes against humanity or war crimes, as well as the French-Mexican Initiative.

The improvement of working methods has been and continues to be an aspect of the greatest relevance for Argentina and we have taken every opportunity to promote that the Council works in an open and transparent manner and that it is accountable for its actions before the entire Organization.

In this framework, Argentina hopes that the principle of democracy and accountability will continue to guide the process during the next round of negotiations, favoring the broadest participation of the Member States.

Mr. President:

We have a year ahead that will undoubtedly present challenges for our jobs. You can count on our collaboration and flexibility in order to achieve concrete results that reflect the commitment of all and not the imposition of a few.

Thank you very much Mr. President.