Mr. President,

Allow me to congratulate you, in the first place, for the way you have conducted business at the Security Council during the month of August. I would also like to thank you for having convened this open debate on an issue to which Argentina attributes great importance.

Argentina supports the development of a system of peace maintenance, both transparent and democratic within the framework of the United Nations, with multilateral institutions and mechanisms that serve the cause of international law. Since peacekeeping operations are the essential UN tool for maintaining international peace and security, Argentina’s active participation in said operations constitutes clear evidence of its commitment to the system, a system that in our view must be progressively improved and strengthened.

In addition to contributing to consolidate the peace maintenance system, another fundamental reason for Argentina’s participation in peacekeeping missions stems from the close link nowadays between peacekeeping and the protection of human rights, particularly throughout the reconstruction of institutions and strengthening democracy and the rule of law in those countries where complex multidimensional operations take place. We believe that the move towards this type of more complex integrated missions, with clear mandates and robust rules of engagement, constitute one of the greatest achievements of the last decade which must be preserved and further improved.

Argentina is currently participating in six peacekeeping operations with both military and police personnel. Recently, together with Chile, Argentina offered to the United Nations the combined joint peace force “Cruz del Sur” (Southern Cross) which as of 2012 will be available to the United Nations Standby Arrangement System (UNSAS). Also in 2012 with Peru, we expect to have an engineer contingent ready with the aim to offering it for deployment to MINUSTAH in Haiti.

In this respect, we believe that the creation of the Department of Field Support and the progressive implementation of the Global Field Support Strategy are adequate tools for optimizing resources and for making peacekeeping operations more effective.

Mr. President

All that I said regarding the future of peacekeeping operations is contingent to having adequate financing. Very recently, as Chair of the Group of 77 and China, my country negotiated very arduously, in the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly, a resolution which reflects the consensus reached regarding the next measures to be adopted, given the need that the effort of troop and police contributing countries be corresponded by a similar commitment of those countries with higher financial responsibilities. This is not a merely budgetary matter, but a political one, which affects the performance and credibility of this Organization in such an important area as it is the maintenance of peace and that, therefore, must be duly taken into consideration when evaluating and planning any future peace missions.

My country has discussed this and other matters this year in the troubled substantive session of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34) also in the General Assembly, in a constructive manner; where we put emphasis on the principle of national ownership of the societies where the peacekeeping missions are deployed. On this basis, Argentina favors any improvements that contribute to the missions’ effectiveness in the fulfillment of their mandates and that allow for better performance and conditions for the personnel deployed on the ground.

Mr. President

There is consensus among the members of this Organization regarding the need to improve the United Nations capabilities to carry out peacekeeping operations by strengthening the partnership between the Security Council which is the organ that designs the missions’ mandates, the Secretariat, the General Assembly, the host country, and the troop and police contributing countries which are the ones who implement the mandate on the ground. It is my country’s view that in order to make that partnership more efficient it is mandatory to continue improving communication and coordination among its members. In this regard, we highlight the importance that the informal meeting of the Security Council with the troop and police contributing countries be convened with sufficient anticipation of the expiration of their mandates.

Finally, I would like to point out the importance of the Groups of Friends in the partnership framework. The Group of Friends of Haiti, of which Argentina forms part together with other members of this Council and several countries in the region, is a clear example of the relevant role of this type of informal mechanisms. Through its participation in the elaboration of the draft resolutions to renew the mandate of the Mission in Haiti, among other elements, the Group contributes to maintain the support of the member States to the Mission, by securing both the continuity of the efforts as well as the unity of objectives.

Thank you

Misión Permanente Argentina ante las Naciones Unidas