A/66/PV.129 General Assembly

Members will recall that the Assembly held a debate on agenda item 122 at its 51st and 52nd plenary meetings on 8 and 9 November 2011. Members will also recall that, pursuant to its decision 65/554 of 12 September 2011, the Assembly continued intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform at an informal plenary meeting during the current session. At a later date, on 12 September 2012, I circulated for consideration by Member States language for an oral decision on that important issue. May I now therefore take it that the General Assembly decides, first, to reaffirm the central role of the General Assembly on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council; secondly, to immediately continue intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform and informal plenary of the General Assembly at its sixty-seventh session, as mandated by General Assembly decisions 62/557 of 15 September 2008, 63/565 of 14 September 2009, 64/568 of 13 September 2010, 65/554 of 12 September 2011, building on the progress achieved during the sixty-sixth session as well as the positions of and proposals made by Member States, while welcoming the active engagement, initiatives and intensive efforts of the President of the General Assembly, including the selection of United Nations reform as one of the main areas of focus for the sixty- sixth session of the General Assembly, and taking note of the proposals of the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, and noting with appreciation his active role and concrete efforts, including the preparation of the text reflecting the positions of and proposals submitted by Member States with a view to an early comprehensive reform of the Security Council; thirdly, to convene the Open-ended Working Group on the Question of Equitable Representation on and Increase in the Membership of the Security Council and Other Matters Related to the Security Council during the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly if Member States so decide; and fourthly, to include on the agenda of the sixty-seventh session of the General Assembly an item entitled “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters”?

I should now like to express my sincere thanks to Ambassador Zahir Tanin of Afghanistan for chairing the negotiations on my behalf and for doing so in a way that was impartial to any position, yet imperative to moving forward. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 122?