A/69/PV.104 General Assembly

Members will recall that the General Assembly considered agenda item 119 at its 49th and 50th plenary meetings on 12 November 2014. Members will also recall that, pursuant to General Assembly decision 68/557 of 8 September 2014, the Assembly continued intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform in the formal plenary meetings during the current session. The General Assembly will now take action on draft decision A/69/L.92, entitled “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters”. May I take it that the General Assembly decides to adopt draft decision A/69/L.92?

Before giving the floor to speakers in explanation of position, may I remind delegations that explanations of vote are limited to 10 minutes and shall be made by delegations from their seats.

I have the honour to take the floor today on behalf of the diverse group of *1527941* 15-27941 (E) 42 developing countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Our aim has continued to be to achieve lasting and comprehensive reforms of the United Nations Security Council. We would like to begin by congratulating you, Mr. President, on what you have provided to the General Assembly today. We recognize this as a landmark and historic decision that fundamentally sets the Security Council reform process on a text-based negotiation path, based on the text and its annexes as circulated in your letter of 31 July 2015. As a lead pro-reform constituency, the L.69 group was one of the first to compliment you, and the Chair, on introducing the negotiation text through your letter of 31 July. To us it was the outcome of a process that was truly consultative, transparent and inclusive, as you very rightly alluded to in your own communication. We are therefore heartened to note that this text has been unanimously recognized by the entire General Assembly membership by consensus in today’s decision 69/560, on Security Council reform, and that it has been carried forward as the basis for our work in the next round of the intergovernmental negotiation process at the seventieth session of the General Assembly. The L.69 group of developing countries would like to place on record its appreciation to the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, for having steered this process so deftly through most troubled waters and having emerged a clear winner in this consensus decision on this text today. The adoption of decision 69/560 today is a game-changing development in the shadow-boxing that has largely been conducted behind the scenes thus far. As has been wisely said, the distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult. With the formal adoption of this decision, we have taken that very first step that was needed in this long-stalled process. We have traversed the 70 years of the United Nations lifetime this year, but today’s collective achievement by the entire membership sets our journey on this subject on a firm footing and a solid basis in the Organization’s seventieth year. As someone rightly said, goals are dreams with deadlines, so if we see Security Council reform as a realistic goal we also need to have a realistic timeline in order to reach that goal. It is our Group’s firm conviction that this historic year, 2015 — the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, as well as the tenth year since the 2005 World Summit, at which our Heads of State and Government mandated us to achieve early reforms of the Security Council — is an important opportunity to show decisive progress and finally deliver results on the unanimous mandate. I take the opportunity again on behalf of the L.69 group to thank you, Mr. President, for your sterling leadership, commend the work of Ambassador Rattray, and look forward to the period ahead when we will see true advancement and progress on United Nations Security Council reform.

On behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group (UFC), the membership of which comprises member States of all geographical groupings here at the United Nations, I wish to thank you, Mr. President, for your leadership during the sixty- ninth session and for your personal efforts during the most recent session of intergovernmental negotiations. Decision 69/560, which we have just adopted, has always been and indeed remains a technical roll-over of the agenda item on Security Council reform to the next session of the General Assembly. With the constructive approach with which we have always engaged in this process, Italy and the rest of the Uniting for Consensus group decided to support the text before us, convinced that at this stage an orderly transition to the seventieth session must be our collective priority. Yet, recalling the UFC letter of 6 August, we would like to underscore and place on record that the reference in the decision to the President’s letter circulated on 31 July cannot be interpreted as an endorsement of it in either substance or procedure. Member States, I must recall, were not duly consulted either before or after the circulation of the final version of that text. In fact, the membership as a whole was not given any opportunity, formal or informal, to discuss the text, while a number of Member States, including the UFC countries, had expressed their reservations about it. Today we agree to build our collective task during the seventieth session of the General Assembly on the work undertaken by Member States throughout the intergovernmental negotiation process. All sessions of the intergovernmental negotiations have made important contributions to the reform process and must be given due consideration when we resume our work. The Uniting for Consensus group is not interested in claiming victory or underlining the defeat of this or any other negotiating group. The reform process is about substance and serious dialogue, not theory and not proclamations. We are willing to engage in the next round of negotiations seeking an agreement supported by all Member States as a first step on the underlying principle of the reform process. This applies also to those principles pertaining to procedure. To make significant progress, we need to rely on a clear and predictable approach for the conduct of the next intergovernmental negotiations round. All Member States need to be consulted in a timely manner and at every single stage of our next session of work. Full transparency and inclusiveness are key elements of our membership-driven process. Building on these essential principles the Uniting for Consensus group is ready to continue engaging in future negotiations with full confidence and the sincere conviction that a consensual and sustainable reform of the Security Council is possible.

I have the honour to make this statement on behalf of the Group of Arab States. At the outset, I am pleased to express appreciation to you, Mr. President, for your leadership and stewardship of the sixty-ninth session and for the interest you have taken in addressing the most important issues on the agenda, including the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. The Arab Group congratulates you on the adoption of decision 69/560 today by consensus. We would like to draw attention to the Arab Group letter of 14 August so that this decision will enjoy the full support of all regional groups and ensure this most important consensus in order to advance the intergovernmental negotiating process and achieve a comprehensive and fair reform of the Security Council. In this context, I should like to stress that any progress to be made will require painstaking efforts, and the imposition of any steps that do not enjoy consensus would undermine the coherence of the General Assembly and the credibility of the intergovernmental negotiation process. The Arab Group accepted the draft decision in order to provide a further opportunity to pursue the intergovernmental negotiation process at the seventieth session of the General Assembly, building on previous reforms and in order to continue discussion so as to bring positions closer and address differences among all groups regarding the future of the reform process. The Arab Group would like to stress that the bases for negotiations are the proposal made by Member States and decision 62/557, which was adopted by consensus and which laid the foundation for negotiations, the ownership of Member States, and the need to pursue a transparent process in order to enjoy the widest support among Member States. The Arab Group wishes to stress again that we must reach agreement on the principles and procedures governing the reform process, pursuant to the relevant decisions of the General Assembly, in order to achieve the greatest transparency and clarity in regard to all aspects of the reform process before proceeding to substantive issues. In closing, the Arab Group intends to participate constructively during the upcoming session of negotiations in order to reach a solid foundation that will lead to comprehensive and transparent reform of the Security Council in the future.

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of Four (G-4) countries: Brazil, Germany, India and Japan. We are very satisfied to be here to witness the adoption of the important landmark decision 69/560, on the reform of the Security Council. This is not another business-as-usual decision. The Member States have decided to identify the bases of the intergovernmental negotiations as the text and its annexes which you, Mr. President, circulated on 31 July. It also carries the text forward to the next session of the General Assembly in the seventieth anniversary year of the United Nations. It is a first decision in an official United Nations document, as symbolized by its official document number. What is most important is the consensus by which the decision has just been adopted. We would like first to thank all Member States present here for joining this membership-driven decision. We are very much aware, Mr. President, that none of this could have happened without your strong and consistent leadership to guide Member States. Let us express our sincere gratitude and respect to you. You have fulfilled your commitment to moving forward to text-based negotiations. Our gratitude also goes to the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray. Under the leadership of the President, the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, Ambassador Rattray, has guided us in a most transparent and inclusive manner to the text to which more than 120 Member States contributed. I thank him for his work and particularly his patience. You, Mr. President, have emphasized throughout the current session that an early resumption of the intergovernmental negotiation process is necessary. You encouraged us to move the process to text-based negotiations. Unfortunately, we have failed to move the process to text-based negotiations at this session, but now that we have set the intergovernmental negotiation process on an irreversible path, moving to the text- based negotiation in the next session is what we should do. Before concluding let me comment on the statement just made by the Permanent Representative of Italy, who spoke on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group. As I understood it, he said that the manner by which the intergovernmental negotiations were conducted were not transparent. If that is the thrust of his intervention, I do not think it is so. I believe that all delegations agreed on the language that is put forward in decision 69/560. In paragraph 2, it clearly mentions that all of us are expressing appreciation of the active role and concrete efforts of the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations undertaken “in a consultative manner with a view to an early comprehensive reform of the Security Council”. I do want it understood that everybody who has spoken so far subscribes to every single letter that we have agreed on the decision. With these words I repeat our appreciation of your leadership, Mr. President, as well as the tireless work done by the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations during past months in order to arrive at this very important decision.

On behalf of the Nordic countries Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden, I should like to welcome the adoption of decision 69/560, on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters put forward by the President of the General Assembly. We think this is a good compromise on how to take the process forward. The intergovernmental negotiations and the informal plenary and consultation process facilitated by the Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, were conducted in a fair, transparent and inclusive manner. Ambassador Rattray has ensured that this remains a truly member State-driven process. The work achieved so far provides a firm basis upon which Member States can now negotiate.

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the African Union member States and in doing so let me thank you, Mr. President, for your exemplary and sterling leadership of the sixty-ninth session. Let me also extend our thanks to Ambassador Rattray for his tireless work and our appreciation to his staff for their contribution to what has been achieved here today. I commend your tenacity and commitment, Sir, towards preserving the unity of the membership on the question of United Nations Security Council reform while also tirelessly seeking progress. I also thank Members for their flexibility and maturity leading to consensus adoption of decision 69/560 today. I believe that in the spirit of preserving unity and mutual trust among the membership in the task with which we are charged, we have stayed true to the principles and purpose of the United Nations. Africa will continue to engage constructively with all Member States in a spirit of mutual trust with a view to achieving equitable geographical representation on and an increase in the membership of the Security Council with expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. We believe that it is through this active engagement with all interested parties and the legitimacy of the decision, the Security Council will be enhanced through reform. It is only through such a reform that we can talk of a Security Council that is more representative, democratic, accountable, transparent, effective and efficient. The Ezulwini Consensus is committed to achieving this goal. We look forward to a more constructive and forward-looking intergovernmental negotiation process at the next session and urge all Member States to work together on a text in a manner that will promote our unity of purpose and maintain the values and the ideals of the founding fathers of the United Nations. A United Nations fit for purpose and of continuing utility is necessary for global governance. The vote here today, Mr. President, represents a clear and unequivocal endorsement of your leadership and your work. The decision can be seen as your legacy, but the document that underpins the decision is our legacy. It is our document. It was drafted with the cooperation of more than 120 States and represents a clear and consultative process. The achievement here today supports not only those who are truly minded for reform but also those who believe in an energized process and a process whereby we start from what we have achieved and not go back to a blank piece of paper. This is not a time for triumphalism; this is not a time for victory or for demonizing or antagonizing any group. We believe that the spirit of consensus, this spirit of maturity and resilience shown by all delegations, is something we can build on. The battle ahead will continue. There are strong good faith differences between various groups and these differences are worthy of discussion and negotiation and that is what Africa seeks, a process of negotiation in a spirit of good faith and maturity. The mark of our maturity as an Assembly is not whether we have differences but is of how we resolve those differences. I do not believe there is any delegation here that does not want to act to achieve our common objective, a truly representative and credible Security Council. Tomorrow will not mark the end of our deliberations. Our deliberations will continue. Tomorrow will not mark a conclusion to the task we have in front of us, but our task will continue. What we have achieved here today perhaps in future can be described as the Kutesa consensus and we look forward to the next President of the General Assembly continuing to build on what you, Sir, have achieved and what we have collectively achieved. There is no time to relent. There is no time to relax. The work of the next session is pressing and Security Council reform is one of those items on the calendar. We look forward to working with all delegations concerning our policy of outreach to support the incoming President of the General Assembly and also to support our continuing Chair, Ambassador Rattray. It is our document. It is our process and we have to be the masters of our destiny. Security Council reform is in reach in our lifetime but only we, collectively working as one, working in a spirit of maturity and transparency in full negotiations will we be able to achieve that aim. Africa will lend its support to those who truly believe in reform and work tirelessly and energetically to achieve it.

Allow me to say a few brief words on behalf of the States members of the Caribbean Community that have remained steadfast in support of the reform of the Security Council over many years and through the current session, over which you, Mr. President, have had the honour to preside. First, we welcome the consensus adoption of decision 69/560, on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. Despite the acknowledged differences on this important subject, the decision brings us all together in a positive response to an imperative of the Organization, which is the imperative of reform, and more so the reform of the Security Council, one of the most important organs of this institution. We welcome this signal of commitment. Whatever our positions on the substance of that reform I believe this decision is evidence of our collective commitment to reform. In that regard we wish to pay tribute to your tenacious and effective leadership, and to the effective stewardship of the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, His Excellency Ambassador Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica, a friend of ours and a member of our own Group. We express the hope that the text on which he so ably laboured in full transparency, in full consultation with the membership, will serve us well in the session that comes immediately after this one, as a basis for our continuing efforts towards the early and necessary reform of the Security Council.

The General Assembly has just adopted a technical roll- over decision to move forward the question of the reform of the Security Council for consideration at the next session of the General Assembly. Since intergovernmental negotiations started in 2009, the General Assembly has adopted similar decisions every year. This has become an established practice which nonetheless reflects the consensus among Member States on the need to keep this process moving forward. In order to move judiciously on the road to the reform of the Security Council we need to reflect deeply on the past and plan for the future. China’s position has been consistent on the mechanism for intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform, the relevant practice of the Chairman, and the framework document distributed during the current session of the General Assembly. The relevant practice and the framework document do not have a mandate from Member States. They cut into pieces the integrity of the positions of Member States and contravene the principle of leadership by Member States and the spirit of decision 62/557. Many Member States were against creating a framework document. Many others have not contributed to the document. It has caused serious contention among Member States at this session. The mechanism organized only one interactive dialogue and conducted no real intergovernmental negotiation. Both in terms of time spent and the quality of discussion, this year’s activities of the mechanism can in no way match up to previous years. The truth is that instead of being constructive the interactive dialogue deepened the differences among Member States and increased the difficulty of the efforts of Member States to narrow differences, seek common ground and reach extensive consensus on a package deal about Security Council reform. The intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform took many missteps at this session. China appreciates the Rome meeting of senior officials on Security Council reform. It is a useful attempt to narrow differences and carry out discussion that is led by Member States in an inclusive and transparent manner. It is a highlight in the reform of the Security Council this year. The spirit of the meeting should be further built upon in further activities as it upholds the leadership by Member States and seeks consensus through patient consultation. According to decision 62/557 and the consensus of Member States, the intergovernmental negotiations must follow the principle of leadership by Member States and must be based on the positions and recommendations of Member States. China hopes that a new page will be turned on the intergovernmental negotiations during the next session of the General Assembly when it returns to the right track of leadership by Member States and carries out activities on the basis of their positions, propositions and recommendations that have been put on the table since the negotiations started in 2009 so that the same mistakes with the mechanism that were made during the current session of the General Assembly can be avoided. China is ready to join other Member States in a joint effort to move Security Council reform forward in a direction that is in the common interest of all Member States and in the long-term interests of the United Nations.

South Africa wishes to endorse and align itself with the statements delivered by the Ambassadors of Sierra Leone, representing the State members of the African Union, and Saint Lucia, representing L.69 group. Further, Mr. President, speaking in our national capacity, we would like to express our deep appreciation of your visionary leadership and of your efforts to ensure that Security Council reform remains an important issue. I should also like to take this opportunity to congratulate and thank my dear friend Ambassador Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica for his determination and courage in ensuring that we stay on course. Many Member States, including my own, view this development as highly relevant, bearing in mind the pertinent need to ensure a change which, at the same time, must reflect the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century. World peace and security and the responsibility to maintain them, can no longer be restricted to an elite club. Collective responsibility over a more representative milieu needs to be realized. South Africa welcomes the adoption by consensus of decision 69/560, regarding Security Council reform which for the first time is reflected in a formal document of the General Assembly, and establishes the text and annexes circulated by you, Sir, on 31 July, to be carried forward for negotiation at the next round of the intergovernmental negotiations during the seventieth session of the General Assembly. South Africa understands that the efforts of the 120 plus countries that contributed to the negotiation text will not be in vain. It is our further understanding that the negotiation text, as per your letter of 31 July 2015, will form the basis for future intergovernmental negotiations. South Africa believes that we can no longer afford to out procrastinate and dither year in and year. Negotiations continuing during the seventieth session of the General Assembly must build upon and recognize the work and progress achieved during the sixty-ninth session.

I align my statement with those delivered on behalf of the L.69 group and the Group of Four earlier today. Allow me, Mr. President, to begin by complimenting you personally on behalf of my country and a large number of like-minded developing countries which have looked up to you with hope, admiration and respect. You have fully deserved all three. What you have delivered today to all 193 States Members is truly historic and path-breaking on several counts. It becomes especially memorable taking into account the stiff challenges and pressures that were brought upon you and your office to step back from this issue which has been on the agenda of the General Assembly for the past 23 years. There are some key outstanding facets of decision 69/560, which the entire membership has adopted by consensus today, and I should like to highlight three of these. First, this is neither a technical decision nor a roll- over. It is a highly substantive decision. For the first time in the history of the intergovernmental negotiation process, a decision on Security Council reform has been adopted through an official, formal document of the General Assembly. This is a most positive and unique development as so far over the past seven years we have only been making statements in the air or at each other with easily deniable or disputable summaries or at times compilation texts to register our endeavours. The adoption today of decision 69/560, on Security Council reform, changes the dynamics of the intergovernmental negotiation process completely. Secondly, this decision sets the intergovernmental negotiation process formally on an irreversible, text- based negotiations path which had been your priority from the first day of your presidency, Sir. The twin objectives of saving our work done at the sixty- ninth session of the General Assembly and carrying it meaningfully forward have therefore both been achieved. I have personally committed to you my delegation’s support for this objective of yours. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly, is the aspect of this decision regarding your text and its annex of 31 July 2015 which we have agreed will be the guiding basis for our deliberations at the seventieth session of the General Assembly. I should like to quote, Sir, from your letter of 31 July, which has been recognized in the decision we have unanimously adopted today in which you have stated that the text attached to your letter “represents a sound basis upon which Member States can engage in text-based negotiations during the next phase of intergovernmental negotiations”. That is as clear and explicit as any mandate could ever be. We now know that with the adoption of this truly historic decision, we can meet during the seventieth session under the chairmanship of the Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, and build upon the significant work undertaken by him in extremely difficult and challenging circumstances during the sixty-ninth session. My delegation was among the first to seek to conclude this process by the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations when we set this target in our statement in the intergovernmental negotiations on 16 April 2013. It is our hope that with the adoption of this decision we will now move purposefully towards concluding our negotiations during the seventieth session so that we fulfil the unanimous mandate given by our leaders at the World Summit of 2005 for early reform of the Security Council to make it — and I quote their words — “more broadly representative, efficient and transparent and thus to further enhance its effectiveness and the legitimacy and implementation of its decisions” (resolution 60/1, para.153). This decision will catalyse the reform that all — and I emphasize “all”  — our leaders agreed to 10 years ago. The need for a supportive international peace and security environment is urgent as our leaders meet in this hall a few days from now to adopt Agenda 2030. If the Security Council continues to be ineffective, the lives of millions of people and the flow of trade, investment and technology, all of which depend on a stable and predictable global environment will be jeopardized. Due to this broader context, Mr. President, you deserve our sincere thanks.

I should like to thank you, Mr. President, for having given the General Assembly an opportunity today to reach consensus on the very important decision 69/560, on Security Council reform. As we approach the end of the sixty-ninth session, I should also like to take this opportunity to pay due tribute to your constant leadership and commitment to this and all other subject matters. Through this decision, the General Assembly rolls over to the next session the fruit and results of the work it has already carried out on Security Council reform, a reform that has received the support of the vast majority of Member States. The process has been led by Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, to whom I pay due tribute for his work here. I also thank him for the inclusive and consultative approach that he has adopted to moving forward this process. France hopes that the work we have already carried out will serve as a basis for the next cycle of intergovernmental negotiations that will take place during the seventieth session of the General Assembly and that on that basis we can finally begin text-based negotiations. France believes that the seventieth anniversary of the Organization should be harnessed for Member States finally to reach agreement on an ambitious reform project. Such reform is much needed. The Security Council must more greatly reflect today’s reality and today’s world and also strengthen its capacity and ability to fully shoulder its responsibilities in terms of peacekeeping and international security.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement just delivered by the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone on behalf of the States members of the African Union in the General Assembly. The reform of the Security Council and related matters are of paramount importance to the wider United Nations reform agenda. They will also be in fulfilment of what was agreed upon in the 2005 World Summit outcome document (resolution 60/1). The decision adopted here today expresses the commitment to the early reform of the Security Council, which will not be achieved without the commitment and political will of Member States. As such, my delegation will continue to point out the urgent need for comprehensive reform of the Security Council encompassing the five key clusters: categories of membership, the veto question, regional representation, the size and working methods of an enlarged Council, and the relationship between the Assembly and the Council, taking into account their interlinkages. This, in accordance with the 2005 World Summit outcome, will espouse the values, objectives and ideas of the United Nations Charter for a fairer world based on universality, equity and regional balance. I therefore wish to join other delegations in expressing our sincere gratitude and support to you, Mr. President, for having attached great importance to making the reform of the Security Council one of the main priorities of the sixty- ninth session. Your resolve and commitment to move the intergovernmental negotiation process towards text-based negotiations is greatly appreciated. Our appreciation also goes to the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations during the sixty-ninth session, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, for the way in which he has steered the intergovernmental negotiation process, which was membership driven, and the open- door policy he maintained throughout consultations. My delegation looks forward to continuing the intergovernmental negotiations at the next session, building on the work undertaken during the sixty-ninth session as decided here today. As members are fully aware, Africa remains the only continent not represented in the permanent category and underrepresented in the non-permanent category of membership of the Security Council. It is therefore crucial that such an historical injustice should be corrected and that the Council should conform to the geographical realities of the twenty-first century.

We thank you, Mr. President, for preparing decision 69/560, on carrying forward the review of the issue of Security Council reform to the next session of the General Assembly. We supported the text because we are convinced that the work on the reform of the Security Council must absolutely be based on a consensus decision. However, the negotiations on Security Council reform show that we are still very far from developing a universal formula for the expansion which would be able to receive the maximum broad support of the Members of our Organization. Unfortunately, the situation has not changed during the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly. We must be honest with ourselves. The root of the problem lies not in the negotiating methodology on which some Member States are focusing, but much deeper, in the principled disagreements on key issues of Security Council reform. Everything else is secondary. That is also true of the idea of preparing a so-called short negotiating text. We are not against a text in and of itself, but we are convinced that it can be drafted only by Member States themselves based on the outcomes of the complex work of bringing our positions closer together and absolutely not by the coordinator of negotiations, the President of the General Assembly, or some closed small groups of their own memberships. Attempts to impose a negotiating text, especially one that does not reflect the positions of all Member States, will only derail the process and could even set it back. During today’s discussion, we have heard about a scenario in which in the upcoming months there will be discussions and arguments about today’s decision and not about the root of the problem. We expect that the efforts of the President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session and the coordinator of the intergovernmental negotiations will be aimed at providing maximum assistance to the process with the understanding that it remains the property of the Member States. Such work should be carried out in a calm, transparent and inclusive manner without artificial timelines. We call for maximum collective efforts to be made in the laborious search for real compromises on the issue of Security Council reform. It is this approach and not unilateral non-consensual steps that will be the key to the successful revitalization of our Organization and a guarantee that it will be capable of addressing all the challenges of modern times based on the consolidated and unequivocal support of all the States belonging to it.

I take the floor to reinforce two important perspectives that have already been shared by some of the speakers who have gone before me this morning. My delegation of course aligns itself with the statements made by Ambassador George Talbot on behalf of the Caribbean Community, and that made by Ambassador Menissa Rambally of Saint Lucia on behalf of the L.69 group. Massachusetts Institute of Technology Professor William Isaacs defines dialogue as the art of thinking together. If we follow his line of reasoning, we will agree that dialogue must necessarily be an integral part of effective multilateral engagement. I know, however, we will also agree that instances of real interactive dialogue are infrequent if not absent from many of our processes. We discuss, we debate, but we do not dialogue. The intention of dialogue according to Isaacs is to reach a new understanding and in so doing to form a totally new basis from which to think and act. In dialogue, he claims, one not only solves problems but dissolves them. He further claims that in dialogue we do not merely try to reach agreement, we try to create a context from which many new agreements might come. My delegation wishes to congratulate Ambassador Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica, whose chairmanship reintroduced dynamism to the intergovernmental negotiation process for Security Council reform. We applaud the consultative manner in which he carried out his mandate. His thoughtful efforts inspired and created the right tone and climate and resulted in real interactive dialogue in the halls. That, from my delegation’s perspective, has been one of the most important accomplishments of this last round of the intergovernmental negotiations for Security Council reform. Because dialogue, we believe, buttresses the most rudimentary but critical purposes of diplomacy my delegation thanks Ambassador Rattray for his work generally, but especially in this regard. Finally, I wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, on the manner in which you have presided over the work of the sixty-ninth session. Your steady leadership led to the adoption by consensus of decision 69/560. We concur with your letter of 31 July, which states that we now have a sound basis upon which Member States can engage in text-based negotiations during the next phase of the intergovernmental negotiations. The next phase will take place during the seventieth session of the General Assembly, making this a fitting accomplishment for an historic moment. We know that this is your last day as President of the General Assembly and we will be sad to see you go, but we also know that you return to your duties as Foreign Minister. We will no doubt continue to benefit from your insights and full participation as a Member State, and together we will work towards achieving global commitment and action that can transform our world, peace profound, ever forward-thinking together.

I align myself with the representative of Saint Lucia’s statement on behalf of the L.69 group, as well as with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Japan on behalf of the Group of Four. Brazil welcomes the adoption of the important decision 69/560 by consensus. Allow me to take this opportunity once more to congratulate you, Mr. President, and Ambassador Courtenay Rattray for the efforts undertaken to move this issue forward. In the past year we entered a new stage in this crucial intergovernmental process with a new dynamic being established. That would not have been possible without your firm leadership and commitment to setting the reform of the Security Council on a firm and irreversible text-based negotiation path. We note with satisfaction that, for the first time since the intergovernmental negotiations started, this decision is being adopted as an official document of the General Assembly. We are confident that, through the decision adopted today, we will be able to start the next round of intergovernmental negotiations by building on Ambassador Rattray’s text, which, as you mentioned in your 31 July letter, “represents a sound basis upon which Member States can engage in text-based negotiations during the next phase of the intergovernmental negotiations”. As we transition to the seventieth session, the importance of achieving an early reform of the Security Council becomes even more pressing. The United Nations system is currently in the process of undertaking ambitious forward-looking agendas with a significant potential impact over the coming years and decades. Agenda 2030, which is expected to be adopted in a few weeks from now, establishes a new consensus reflecting a common vision for international cooperation on the intersection of economic, social and environmental concerns. However, when it comes to peace and security, there is a growing awareness that the international community needs to update its governance structures and establish a renewed commitment to searching for solutions through more effective cooperative efforts. In that sense the reform of the Security Council remains the fundamental unfinished item on the United Nations agenda. If we are to ensure that the United Nations is fit for its purpose, it is essential to adapt the anachronistic structure of the Security Council to the geopolitical realities of the twenty-first century in line with the emergence of a new multipolar world. If we leave things as they are, we run the risk of bringing discredit and the erosion of authority to the United Nations as a whole. Today we have united in support of your leadership, Mr. President, and of Chairman Rattray’s competence. This decision represents a victory for us all.

Together with so many who have spoken before me, Germany welcomes decision 69/560, just adopted by consensus by the General Assembly. That substantive decision marks a milestone in the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform. It is a significant achievement by and for all Member States that favour progress in Security Council reform. Thanks to the personal commitment of the President of the General Assembly, the topic of Security Council reform remained high on the agenda of the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly. It was his determination and leadership and that of the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations that steered the membership through the lively yet constructive discussions such as those on 14 and 15 May this year. Finally, the President of the General Assembly was able stay the course to arrive at today’s consensus, despite being faced with a lot of pressure exerted before and after he circulated his draft decision on 10 September. The Chair of the intergovernmental negotiation process, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, deserves equal praise, and it is our sincere hope and expectation that he will continue his excellent and unbiased work based on the positions and recommendations put forward by Member States, as compiled in the framework document circulated with the President of the General Assembly’s letter of 31 July. In a most transparent, inclusive and consultative manner Ambassador Rattray brought together the Member States of the United Nations to express their positions on Security Council reform. Incidentally, it is standard United Nations procedure to have a facilitator coordinate positions in a membership-driven process. All Member States alike will be well served to honour that engagement by today’s decision. We welcome the fact that the decision establishes a text with its annexes, as circulated by the President of the General Assembly’s letter of 31 July, to be carried forward for further negotiations in the next round of the intergovernmental negotiations. We welcome the fact that more than 120 States contributed actively to the framework document. Allow me to quote the President of the General Assembly’s letter of 31 July: “…a text, to form the basis for intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the Security Council”. Let me express once more Germany’s highest appreciation for the President of the General Assembly’s leadership and the engagement of the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations. Germany stands ready to set out on negotiations based on the framework document in the forthcoming seventieth session of the General Assembly.

Poland would like to welcome the adoption of decision 69/560 to continue the intergovernmental negotiations at its seventieth session, building on the work undertaken throughout the past months. For my delegation it is fundamental that the decision was adopted by consensus. It is an optimistic sign that we are able to overcome differences among us. We are of the opinion that during the past sixty- ninth session we took some important steps to build momentum for the acceleration of the negotiations. Let me take this opportunity to especially commend the efforts already taken by the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, and his able staff from the Jamaican Mission. Poland remains dedicated to the process of Security Council reform and will further actively contribute to that important discussion. In that regard let me reiterate that our position regarding the need to grant an additional non-permanent seat for the Eastern European Group in the reformed Council of course remains valid. To conclude, we are counting on and looking forward to continuing our negotiations in a good and positive spirit in the coming months.

The Pakistan delegation aligns itself with the statement made by the representative of Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group. We supported decision 69/560, proposed by the President to continue the intergovernmental negotiation process on Security Council reform. We believe that it is a technical roll-over for a continuation of the process. We fully understand the difficult position that the President found himself in, which resulted in his inability to fully reflect the fact that a limited dialogue substituted for an intergovernmental negotiation process this year. As the Uniting for Consensus group has consistently asserted, meaningful reform of the Security Council can be achieved only if there is a genuine consensus among Member States. The agreed objective of the intergovernmental negotiation process is a “negotiated solution with the widest possible political acceptance by Member States”. What we witnessed this year in the intergovernmental negotiations was a flawed process. The Chair’s actions were arbitrary and not impartial. There was no attempt to reflect the legitimately held and well- known positions of a large number of the members. No serious effort was made to reflect divergent views, or even to bridge them. Discussions were confrontational rather than constructive. The document that has been produced is partial and incomplete. It cannot provide the basis for a negotiated solution. Therefore, the work of the intergovernmental negotiations this year was a step backward, not forward. There was regression rather than progress. We are glad that, despite the constraints put on the President, the decision acknowledges the need to build on the documents that the President was provided with by the intergovernmental negotiations Chair. The Uniting for Consensus group would have liked a fuller reflection of our concerns as conveyed to the President in our letter of 11 September 2015. Nevertheless, we will work with others to restore the intergovernmental negotiations discussion at the next session of the General Assembly in a constructive and consensual manner and direction. We look to the incoming President of the General Assembly to play an active, impartial and constructive role in reviving the intergovernmental negotiation process, taking into account the positions of all parties and the constructive work done at previous sessions of the General Assembly. Those who have long sought to use procedural manoeuvres to advance their positions on Security Council reform should be aware that such efforts will not and cannot succeed. Mobilizing support on procedures is very different from securing endorsement on substance. Agreement on reform will not be achieved by producing flawed documents through processes that are neither fully inclusive nor completely transparent. We hope the mistakes made this year will not be repeated at the next session and that the spirit of good faith, transparency and inclusion will be restored to take the process forward in the true sense of the membership-driven nature of decision 62/557. The one bright spot this year was the in-depth and interactive discussion on Security Council reform at the meeting in Rome. The Rome meeting clearly indicated that, if reform of the Security Council is to be achieved, it will need to be a compromise among the divergent views and interests of all Member States and groups. We will draw on the spirit and substance of the Rome meeting to revive the intergovernmental negotiation process during the next session of the Assembly.

My delegation would like to add its support to the statement delivered by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group, but in addition to aligning ourselves with that statement, we would like to make some further remarks in our national capacity. This is yet another year in which we have ended up adopting a technical roll-over decision that echoes what we have done in the past, which ensures only that the issue of Security Council reform now rolls over to the next session of the General Assembly. My delegation joined the consensus and did so because we like to work in a constructive spirit, first and foremost, and, secondly, because we believe that our priority needs to be to ensure that we continue to make progress on this particular issue in the future. However, our joining the consensus in no way means that we support the content of the decision in full, because we believe that it has two serious shortcomings: first, a procedural shortcoming, because it was submitted in too much of a hurry and so there was no time to have full consultations or to have a discussion or negotiation on the text; and, secondly, there is a serious problem with the content, because it overlooks the contributions and input throughout the debate and discussions that were held at the previous session of this General Assembly. The fruit of that discussion appears nowhere in the document. We have spent more than 20 years now discussing this particular issue, and to say that the process is only now beginning seems to indicate that we are acting like an adolescent or young adult with no sense, one who believes that their life begins when they are already 25 years old and that all that has gone before means nothing. We hope that the upcoming session of the General Assembly, which begins tomorrow, will be one at which we can engage in a negotiating process that is more constructive than those of the past and that sticks more closely to the point and to insisting on making progress. In any case, my delegation stands ready and willing to engage in the process of dialogue and negotiation. That has always been our position, which is rooted in our deeply held conviction that consensus is vital for achieving sustainable, satisfactory and lasting reform of the Security Council, a reform that meets the concerns of all delegations.

I should like to align myself with the statement made by the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone and would also like, on behalf of my delegation and my country, the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, to pay due and merited tribute to the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Sam Kutesa, for the excellent work that he has carried out during his term of office over the past year as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session. The bountiful harvest of resolutions and decisions that we have been able to adopt throughout the sixty- ninth session reflects the excellent work and dedication of President Kutesa, and we have all reaped the benefit and the reward. As we close the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly, I should like to take this opportunity to express our congratulations and thanks to Mr. Kutesa for a mission that has been carried out so excellently. We think that he can go home with his head held high in the light of all that he has achieved. The adoption of decision 69/560, on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters — an adoption by consensus, I should like to point out — is the outcome of the arduous work that was spearheaded by President Kutesa. Thanks must also go to Ambassador Courtenay Rattray as Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations for the very able way in which he has carried out his task and his mandate as he sought to put together a platform that would allow for authentic intergovernmental negotiations to take place. We would like to thank all members for the flexibility they have shown and their willingness to listen and to pursue the goal of consensus, which has allowed us to adopt this decision. We look forward to the beginning of the seventieth session of the General Assembly tomorrow, which will give us an opportunity to continue with determination and sincerity our intergovernmental negotiation process, which we can now do on the basis of the very precious legacy of the decision adopted under the presidency of Mr. Sam Kutesa. As we mark the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, I should like to refer to the challenge given by the President of the Republic of South Africa, Jacob Zuma, to the United Nations when he addressed the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session in 2013. In that address he said, “We would like to challenge the Assembly today by saying ‘Let us set ourselves the target to celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations in 2015 with a reformed, more inclusive, democratic and representative Security Council!’”. (A/68/PV.5, p. 49) That would be the best present we could give ourselves. I think that should serve as a spur to our negotiations. On another point, the President of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, in his statement to the General Assembly at that same session, stated that we need to be honest with ourselves, because democracy, justice and equity need to be the hallmark of the work of the United Nations, given that the United Nations is the epicentre of the international community as we all aspire to peace, international order and to opportunities for development (see A/68/PV.13). He is therefore also a great supporter of Security Council reform. I believe that means we need to act even more urgently in dealing with the challenge of Security Council reform at the seventieth session in the light of those two challenges made to the United Nations in 2013 by the Presidents of Equatorial Guinea and the Republic of South Africa. We are late in responding to the challenges that they laid down, but better late than never. We need to make sure that we carry out authentic reform of the Security Council, which would mean for Africa that we would be duly represented as a permanent member of the Security Council and that Africa would have a permanent seat on that organ, with all the prerogatives that the category of permanent membership implies.

My delegation would like to express its gratitude to the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his leadership on such a core and vital issue, one that is vital for the future of our Organization. We also welcome the consensus that we have managed to achieve today. We would also like to thank the Ambassador of Jamaica, Mr. Courtenay Rattray, for his leadership in the discussions and negotiations on that issue. The content of the document submitted and circulated by the President of the General Assembly, which will serve as the basis for the upcoming intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform, will contribute to finding an appropriate response to the challenges and needs that we need to tackle better in the future. We would make an appeal for flexibility and for determination in our future work, so as to ensure that we do not let up in the process towards reform during the next session, the seventieth session, of the General Assembly.

I should like, at the outset, to express our appreciation for the efforts of the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Sam Kutesa, as the President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session to advance the process of Security Council reform as an integral element of the reform of the United Nations. I associate my delegation with the statements delivered by the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone on behalf of the African Union and by the Permanent Representative of Kuwait on behalf of the Group of Arab States in welcoming the adoption of decision 69/560 today. Egypt would like to make the following additional comments in its national capacity, with the aim of ensuring the understanding of some critical matters that need our urgent consideration in order to sustain the progress achieved so far in the intergovernmental negotiation process and to prevent the outcome of this session from experiencing the fate of its predecessors. First, there is a need to refocus the process on its set goal, which is the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Council. That choice of words reminds us that any reforms need to be comprehensive and equitable. It is those two elements that remain the pillars on which the negotiations rest, and staying faithful to them will be requisite if we are to benefit from the accumulated effort exerted to date. Secondly, we need to continue our efforts to advance an inclusive text that includes a proposal and the positions of all Member States in accordance with decision 62/557, which was adopted by consensus and the important elements of which proved to be crucial in efforts to move the intergovernmental negotiation process forward. I quote, in that regard, the overarching principle that the negotiations should be “based on proposals by Member States, in good faith, with mutual respect and in an open, inclusive and transparent manner”. (decision 62/557, para. (d)) That remains a necessary requirement for the intergovernmental negotiation process, which, “seek[s] a solution that can garner the widest possible political acceptance by Member States”. (ibid.) Thirdly, the widest political agreement is therefore the key safeguard for advancing the process, as projected by decision 62/557. For that reason, the next stage of our work should focus on solidifying common ground and a shared vision of all Member States for the future of the process and on how to move it forward, by providing textual clarity in the process and the procedures, including, first and foremost, the principles and criteria of the negotiations as an essential and logical requirement for advancing on matters of substance. I should like to conclude by reiterating Egypt’s firm commitment to a Member State-driven process that aims at reforming the Security Council by making it more representative, credible and effective, on the one hand, while preserving the foundational values of the Organization, on the other. We are reminded, in that context, that the Organization can be more representative, effective and credible only when it is also more united.

We align ourselves with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group, but would like to make some additional comments in our national capacity. We thank the President of the General Assembly for identifying the reform issue as one of the priorities during his tenure. We have always advocated meaningful reform with a principled approach aimed at a more democratic, accountable, representative, transparent and effective Security Council. Today we joined the consensus on the decision 69/560, bearing in mind its purely technical nature, to roll over the agenda item on Security Council reform to the seventieth session of the General Assembly. Nevertheless, we would like to underscore that our flexibility in joining the consensus cannot be construed as endorsement of the text that was circulated on 31 July 2015 and referred to in the decision. The Uniting for Consensus group neither contributed to that text nor was it consulted before its circulation. We are willing to contribute constructively to the intergovernmental negotiation process at the upcoming session, with the expectation that the process will be conducted with the ownership of all Member States, including timely consultations on the steps to be taken. Needless to say, negotiations on such a critical issue necessitate general agreement on the basis of the work, principles and procedures. We believe that a solution to that issue is possible and will continue to work towards achieving a viable outcome.

The delegation of Ecuador would like, first and foremost, to express its gratitude and congratulations to the President of the General Assembly, Mr. Sam Kutesa, for his leadership. We would also like to pay due tribute to the work carried out by the Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, as Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations for reform of the Security Council. As far as the delegation of Ecuador is concerned, without prejudice to the final outcome of the reform of the Security Council and the guise that it may take, it is important, in our view, that the intergovernmental negotiation process continue on the basis of consensus. It is for that reason that we very much welcome the adoption of decision 69/560 on a consensus basis. We believe that the best way to ensure the greatest possible convergence of positions is for the process, in and of itself, to be consensus driven. In order to achieve that, we need to duly bear in mind the positions and opinions of all Member States. They must be given due hearing in a spirit of mutual respect. Any possible and effective reform of the Security Council must arise from the convergence of views and opinions as they are expressed around the negotiating table while we grapple with this key issue.

My delegation welcomes the adoption by consensus of decision 69/560, on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. It is an important step and manages to move the process of Security Council reform forward, building on the significant progress made during the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly. My delegation applauds the strong leadership of Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly, which has provided us with new and much-needed momentum. We thank His Excellency Ambassador Mr. Courtenay Rattray, Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, for his efforts and stewardship. We are also encouraged by the engagement of Member States in the negotiations process. I wish to take this opportunity to reiterate Viet Nam’s consistent and firm support for efforts to reform the Security Council so as to enable the Council effectively to perform its function as the primary body in maintaining international peace and security, particularly given the growing unprecedented challenges of today. In the year that we celebrate the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, it is high time that we take concrete actions with a view to making substantive progress in the reform of the Security Council aimed at ensuring its representativeness, democracy, transparency and effectiveness. At this juncture, we cannot emphasize enough the need to continue engagement with, and take into account the views of, each and every Member State, or group of Member States. Only by doing so can we ensure that the intergovernmental negotiation process will continue to be structured in good faith and with mutual respect in an open, inclusive and transparent manner, with a view to seeking a solution that can garner the widest possible political acceptance by Member States.

We associate ourselves with the statement made by the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone on behalf of the African Union. The United Republic of Tanzania recognizes that the consensus adoption of decision 69/560 this morning was not an easy undertaking. It is, however, an illustration of our collective commitment to reform the Security Council. It is also evident that there remains a broad range of differences that need to be resolved before significant progress can be claimed. However, we want to express our confidence in the good efforts made by the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiation process, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray of Jamaica. We all knew that this was not going to be an easy process but there is, in our view, no questioning Ambassador Rattray’s commitment and sincerity in seeking to address the very objective that we all desire, and that is a reformed Security Council. Obviously, some of the statements expressed here this morning reveal the extent of what remains to be done to address the current imbalance in the Security Council, as that body does not reflect the realities of the Organization to which we all belong. The consensus decision is an important, albeit small step. It mandates us to continue the discussion, building on the informal meetings we have held. We thank Ambassador Rattray for his efforts and for that outcome. Finally, permit me to express the appreciation of the United Republic of Tanzania to President Kutesa for his leadership in this matter. He has led by example. In private and public meetings, he added transparency and promoted collective effort that did not leave out or exclude anyone as the most legitimate way to make sustainable progress on the subject. We share that view, and that view will continue to inspire us as we advance the so-called Kutesa consensus.

Mexico fully supports the statement delivered by the representative of Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group. Mexico has been and will continue to be fully committed to the process of Security Council reform. Along with the rest of the members of the Uniting for Consensus group, we fully endorse and back any reform process that would enable us to make headway, although in order to make headway, it is important that we all share a common position. Security Council reform is a process that must be guided by all States members of the General Assembly. It cannot be spearheaded by just a handful thereof. Mexico and the Uniting for Consensus group are not seeking to impose their vision on the other members of the General Assembly. Rather, we are seeking to carve out a compromise solution that brings together the entire membership, a compromise solution to which the majority, if not all, members feel that they can adhere. The event that we held in Rome in May of this year was a very clear sign, not just of our will and determination to continue forging consensus but also of our flexibility to try to accommodate the diverse range of views that surround this issue. We regret that some of those who are participating in this process, paying lip service to the idea of reform, have still not shown any genuine flexibility to try to find a solution other than the one that they back. Some have shown little flexibility in seeking to find a reform that would genuinely strengthen the democracy of the Council. We seek greater accountability, transparency and democracy for the Security Council and we would hope that all the rest of the membership could join that position. We hope that the incoming President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session, and whoever is appointed to lead the intergovernmental negotiation process, will pay due heed to the lessons learned thus far in the process and will give a fresh boost to the process with their new vision and insight. My delegation believes that the most important qualities and skills required of the President of the General Assembly and the facilitator or Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations are their impartiality, their lack of bias, their transparency and objectivity. If they show those qualities and virtues, then we will be in a good position and we will have the appropriate leadership to determine the paths and options that will allow us to foster the appropriate consensus to achieve a solution that will enjoy the broadest possible support from amongst the membership. We will listen and we will consult with Member States. We all need to do that. Listening and consulting do not imply trying to impose summary documents with artificial deadlines. The length of the document does not determine the level of flexibility to be shown by delegations, and the imposition of a set deadline, which is something that we have seen efforts to to impose throughout this session, only serves to foster mistrust and moves us further away from the whole goal of the exercise and the discussion, which is Security Council reform. Working together in an inclusive way is the only way that we can achieve the aforementioned reform on a genuine and authentic basis. Both in a national capacity and as a member of the Uniting for Consensus group, Mexico would like to reiterate its willingness and determination to continue working hand in hand with the entire membership and to maintain its active and constructive participation in the process in a spirit of full openness and full transparency.

On behalf of the delegation of El Salvador, I should like to begin by conveying our gratitude to the President of the General Assembly for all the efforts he has put into driving this particular issue forward. I should also like to thank the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Jamaica, Mr. Courtenay Rattray, for the very diligent way in which he worked throughout this year to try to move us forward and bring us to the point where we have managed today to adopt decision 69/560. The reform of the Security Council is an endeavour synonymous perhaps with the Greek myth of Sisyphus, who was condemned by the gods to spend his life pushing a rock to the top of a mountain only to find, when he got to the top, that the rock would fall and he would have to begin his task all over again. Year after year, we have worked hard on the issue of Security Council reform and have pushed our boulder to try to resolve the issue of Security Council reform. The decision that we adopted today was, from the beginning of the process, important first and foremost because the issue itself is so important. The Security Council is such a key body for the United Nations and so important for the world as a whole that reform, after 70 years of existence and a world that has changed beyond recognition in those 70 years, is more crucial than ever. But the reform of the Security Council is also something symbolic, if you will. I believe that many representatives have shared the experience that I have had when we have talked about democracy here in the United Nations and have met with cynical responses. How can I come here and talk about democracy when democracy cannot be achieved here among the Members of the United Nations? Are any of us in a position to preach democracy if we, the United Nations, are not democratic? That is as true for me as it is for any of us. We need to be consistent with our principles as an institution. Reform is important as well because it will give us a clear guiding idea of how to move forward as the process continues. It will enable us to carry out the necessary task of reform in a transparent way and in a framework that guides us. Through this decision adopted by the General Assembly by consensus, we can arrive at a reform adopted by consensus. The General Assembly has ownership of the reform of the Security Council. We, the members of the General Assembly, have that pre-eminence over the Security Council, as it were. It is important that we have adopted today’s decision because it keeps the issue alive for at least another year. But it is also important for us as members because we need now to really come to grips with the reality. If we wish to make progress, we need to seek greater and closer consensus among all of us. Our experience this year has given us basically a book, a novel if you will, of some 100 pages, an unwieldy document. We need to make sure that next year we streamline that process. We need a pamphlet, even a single sheet of paper, that deals with the issue of reform and is something around which we can build a consensus that is clear. It would echo our clear call to the five permanent members of the Security Council. An appeal is contained in today’s decision and in our voices and words today for the five permanent members to work transparently to join, genuinely and authentically, in the process of reform of the Security Council, a process that has been decided upon by the General Assembly, which represents all the members. It is in that spirit of understanding that we have lent our backing to the adoption of the decision, but we are driven mostly by our hope that, after eight years of essentially the same discussion, a discussion that has been maintained just to keep the topic on the front burner as it were, this year will be a year of change, that we can make genuine progress and that we can see genuine reform of the Security Council.

I have the honour to take the floor to clarify the position of the Republic of Suriname with regard to the proposed continuation of the negotiations within the intergovernmental negotiations process. The Republic of Suriname has supported reform of the United Nations against the backdrop of the new realities and changed circumstances that govern global affairs and inter-State relations in today’s world. In the light of the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations, Suriname wishes to reiterate its commitment to the reform process, which must be inclusive, balanced and consensus-based and take into account the interests of both developing and developed countries of the United Nations in order to further promote, preserve and strengthen international peace and security. Suriname is of the view that, while a base document has been presented to guide the negotiating process, that document cannot be considered an exclusive one. The negotiating process must remain open to additional perspectives and must not be forced by unrealistic time lines for the completion of the process, which is aimed at achieving a more accountable, representative and transparent Security Council, one that reflects contemporary regional and international realities. The Republic of Suriname will continue to participate in the ongoing negotiations.

Argentina would like to align itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus group. At the same time, we take this opportunity to reiterate the fact that my country, Argentina, will continue in its determination to contribute to the process of Security Council reform as we have always done in the past. We hope to be able to move the process forward in a genuine manner and to achieve consensus thereon. It is against the backdrop of that understanding that we supported the adoption of decision 69/560 by the General Assembly. That decision is a technical decision that we needed in order to close off the ongoing debate or discussion of the issue of Security Council reform at the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly. We needed to make sure that it rolled over to the seventieth session, having been dealt with at the sixty-ninth session, and make sure that the issue was not lost. It is for that reason that we supported the adoption of the decision. The fact that the decision was adopted by consensus means in no way that all aspects of the issue or question of Security Council reform or the content of the various documents mentioned, in particular the note of the President of the General Assembly dated 31 July 2015, enjoy unanimous support among the entire membership. We need to be clear on that. In point of fact, we have listened carefully to various explanations of position after the vote and have decided to speak. We want to explain our position, as others have done, because we believe that there are nuances in our position and the positions of others. We believe that there is no single unique position on the decision that has been adopted or on the core issue of Security Council reform more broadly. We have listened to the more than 30 delegations that have taken the floor before us, who, either in their individual capacity or on behalf of groups of countries, have expressed their points of view and their differences in position. That is the whole point of this segment, this exercise, this part of the meeting if you will. This debate, this discussion should feed into and provide information about the position of each and every delegation on the decision that we have just adopted, which is important for the process going forward. Therefore, we cannot take it as a given that the fact that the draft decision was adopted by consensus means that there are no differences of opinion or significant nuances with regard to the heart of the decision and, indeed, the core issue of reform itself. Let us be clear on that. I want to highlight the point that, in the meeting held in Rome in May this year, we were able to have a wide-ranging and relevant discussion on the very sensitive issue of Security Council reform. We were able to approach it in a way in which all Member States were able to express their views on an equal footing and could feel that they were in a position to exchange views and contribute. They could feel that they were in a secure environment in which to have a frank discussion aimed at moving towards the common goal, a goal that I am sure we all share, namely, the reform of the Security Council in the very near future. We hope that the next session of the intergovernmental negotiations process will give us an opportunity to work on the basis of decision 62/557, which should serve as the core of our work. That decision refers to the five aspects of the reform in a comprehensive way and provides that the intergovernmental negotiations should take place on the basis of the positions and proposals of the Member States — a Member-State-led process, in other words. The discussions and negotiations need to take place in a framework of transparency and with the stated goal of achieving consensus. Argentina will, on that understanding, continue to work in a constructive way with all delegations, each and every one, in order to ensure that we can achieve reform of the Security Council so that it will in the future be more representative, more democratic, more responsible, more transparent and more effective in its work, and will be able to take timely decisions to promote peace and international security.

Rwanda aligns itself with the statement delivered today by Ms. Menissa Rambally, Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia, on behalf of the L.69 group, and by the Permanent Representative of Sierra Leone, Ambassador Vandi Chidi Minah, on behalf of the African Union. Let me also take a moment on this last day of your presidency, Mr. President, to express our sincere gratitude to you for the remarkable way in which you have fulfilled your mandate at the helm of the General Assembly. Your dedication and commitment to excellence in what you have undertaken to do in the conduct of your office have been particularly inspiring, and have borne fruit in so many ways. We were particularly grateful to take advantage of your wisdom, guidance and ability to navigate us through all the post-2015 processes with regard to both the financing for development and the sustainable development goals. In that respect, we were truly blessed to benefit from your leadership in moments of deadlock during negotiations and we have admired how you were the first to come up with bridging solutions that kept us focused on the essentials until we reached a compromise. As for the adoption by consensus of this substantive decision on Security Council reform (decision 69/560), which for the first time was issued as a formal “L” document of the General Assembly, you can be proud of that milestone today and we cannot thank you enough for restoring our hopes in that roll-over decision. That goes in line with your steadfast efforts to move us forward to credible text-based negotiations, which have also been rewarded today. Indeed, we can proudly state that today’s outcome is the fruit of concerted efforts on the part of more than 120 Member States, which worked in tandem to move the process forward. We thank Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, Permanent Representative of Jamaica and Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, for brilliantly steering us in that positive direction. This noble landmark will be credited to you, Mr. President, as your legacy, and we hope that the seventieth anniversary of the United Nations will also be instrumental in advancing the reform process, which has stagnated for so many years. We thank you for contributing to this historic landmark.

At the outset, I wish to join my colleagues in commending you, Mr. President, for your leadership and steadfast commitment during the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly and for pushing the intergovernmental negotiations process towards text-based negotiations. Our appreciation also goes to the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, for his bold and inclusive leadership during the process. We align ourselves with the statements delivered by Ambassador Menissa Rambally, Permanent Representative of Saint Lucia, on behalf of the L.69 Group, and by Ambassador Vandi Chidi Minah of Sierra Leone on behalf of the African Union. Mauritius believes that the text circulated by you in your letter dated 31 July 2015 provides a sound basis for the continuation of the intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the Security Council. That text reflects the submissions of more than 120 Member States, including the African Group, and points to a growing consensus to effect the long overdue reform of the Security Council. We believe that that text should be considered in conjunction with the annex as a comprehensive whole. We hope that that framework document will serve as the basis for further negotiations in the next round of the intergovernmental negotiations process, and we believe that it is imperative to commence the text- based negotiating process as soon as possible with the objective of achieving early comprehensive reform of the Security Council.

My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered on behalf of the L.69 Group by Ambassador Rambally of Saint Lucia. The decision adopted by consensus today (decision 69/560) is a reflection of your leadership, Sir, and your commitment to take the process of Security Council reform forward. It stands as testimony to the priority and importance attached by all of us to advancing the process in a meaningful and logical manner. We welcome the adoption of the decision and commend you for your leadership and steadfast efforts to inject much- needed momentum into the process. The decision provides a sound basis for the intergovernmental negotiations to build on the substantive work done during the sixty-ninth session of the General Assembly and to commence text- based negotiations. It is a noteworthy development that puts the process of Security Council reform on an irreversible path. In that context, the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiation process, Ambassador Rattray, also deserves our special appreciation for the excellent manner in which he steered our deliberations in a process that was inclusive, transparent and Member State-driven, and in keeping with decision 62/557. My delegation looks forward to engaging constructively with all delegations so as to advance the process of Security Council reform during the seventieth session of the General Assembly.

The year 2015 has witnessed the United Nations making headway in terms of jump-starting the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform thanks to your leadership on this issue, Mr. President, as well as the hard work, tireless efforts, and in many instances, patience, of the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiation process, the Permanent Representative of Jamaica. We are also extremely grateful to you for heeding the calls of Member States to allow us to keep the wheels turning, so to speak, on Security Council reform through decision 69/560, which we have unanimously adopted today. This decision will allow us to continue the work on the negotiation text and its annexes which you circulated last July, which for my delegation could serve as a good basis for the future work of the intergovernmental negotiation process. As the United Nations turns 70, it is high time that this world body reform itself in many ways or risk being irrelevant. It cannot operate in the next seven decades armed with the same rules that may have worked for several decades but now need to be more responsive to the challenges of the twenty-first century. The work that has been started with the intergovernmental negotiation process must continue. The Philippines supports dialogue and reforms to make the Security Council more democratic, inclusive, transparent and accountable. We must all be on the side of progress.

I am honoured and humbled to be in this Hall among my colleagues, friends and fellow human beings for this historic moment when we have adopted by consensus decision 69/560, on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters. On this last day of your presidency I salute you, our President Mr. Sam Kutesa, for your steadfast leadership, your visionary wisdom, and for keeping to your promises. I also want to thank Ambassador Rattray for his tireless commitment to leading the intergovernmental negotiations. His dedication to the inclusion of all national inputs into the discussion has enabled an environment of mutual trust, open-mindedness, good faith and a shared value in finding common ground on the defining challenge for the future of the United Nations. We look forward to staying the course within this positive environment. The gravity of Security Council reform has weighed heavily on Panama. The last time we were in the Security Council in 2007-2008, Panama proposed reform elements on which we based our latest aspirational proposal within the intergovernmental negotiation process. We proposed that by the United Nations centennial in 2045 the Security Council should consist of 24 members, all of equal standing, elected for three-year terms with the opportunity for consecutive re-election. We believe that despite seemingly polarized stances in a debate that has spanned more than 20 years, if we push the limits we can find a middle ground to make the Security Council more representative of a changed world and more capable of responding to its evolving challenges. The world deserves a Security Council that keeps it safe by responding swiftly and effectively to emerging crises. New conflicts continue to present themselves while more obstacles arise to solving them than actual solutions. The status quo is unsustainable and damaging to the credibility and the relevance of the United Nations itself. New forms of political motivation need to be envisioned to galvanize our political leaders towards reform, but creativity, compromise and courage will be the defining features of any solution to this challenge and that, I believe, we have achieved to this point in the intergovernmental negotiation process. As we prepare for tomorrow’s opening session of the seventieth session of the General Assembly and to the adoption by our world leaders of the post-2015 development agenda, the adoption of this decision today allows us to maintain the momentum to challenge our assumptions of what could be possible in the coming days, years and decades, with concerted commitment to what we all do best, diplomacy. The ongoing intergovernmental negotiation process is the forum we need to continue challenging each other’s viewpoints until we reach a reasonable degree of agreement. The nature of controversy is such that not everyone will prefer the outcome that debating produces, but respect for the process itself is what drives us to work until we are satisfied. We came here knowing that this debate preceded us and will continue long after today, but I am now hopeful that we will see Security Council reform in our lifetime. Let us all embrace the chance to understand one another and to appreciate the equally human elements of our experiences that enable us to connect with the people who entrust us with this mission. Tomorrow’s United Nations and the peace it brings can truly be impacted by all of us here. It is therefore our responsibility to see this through and to construct a Security Council that is more effectively accountable to we, the people.

We have heard the last speaker in explanation of vote. As I said in my opening address in September of last year (see A/69/PV.1) and have reiterated numerous times throughout this year, reform of the Security Council has been an important priority for me during the sixty-ninth session. It is therefore heartening that on this last day of the session we have gathered to consider this important decision. I pay tribute to the Chair of the intergovernmental negotiations, Ambassador Courtenay Rattray, Permanent Representative of Jamaica, for his steadfast leadership throughout this process. I commend his efforts to make the negotiations as participatory, consultative and transparent as possible. The United Nations of today, comprising 193 Member States, is vastly different from what it was at the beginning and its founding 70 years ago, with only 51 Member States. What remains fundamentally unchanged is that it is an important organization that we should reform to meet the challenges of our time in order to improve the lives of humanity. We should continue to make the Organization more responsive and improve its efficiency and effectiveness. Yet to reach the noble objectives enshrined in the Charter we must be willing to take bold steps to transform the United Nations, including the Security Council, in a way that reflects the geopolitical realities of the current world. The decision that has been adopted today is an important step towards the ultimate objective. I am proud that for the first time Member States have adopted a decision issued as a document that shows their intention to follow this process in an even more effective way in the coming session. Nevertheless there is a great deal of work that remains to be done. As I stated in early February, past meetings of intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the Security Council had been characterized by repetition of well-known positions and statements. I am delighted that during this session a platform was provided for all Member States to exchange views and ideas on their positions and proposals on this matter. Most Member States went further and populated the framework document, which culminated in the text and its annexes circulated in my letter dated 31 July. During this session, I have consulted groups and individual Member States regularly. Ensuring that the work on Security Council reform was done in an open and transparent manner has been a cornerstone of my efforts. For the first time since the intergovernmental negotiation process began all the letters and documents arising from our ongoing work have been posted on the website of the President. I am therefore heartened that 69/560 has been adopted by consensus. It is the responsibility of each one of us to ensure continued progress in this reform effort and that we maintain a constructive and flexible approach moving forward. It is essential that we build on the work that has been done in this session as indicated in the draft decision. In doing so, we make a contribution towards the ultimate objective of reforming the Security Council as agreed by world leaders in 2005. I want to take this opportunity to thank all groups and individual Member States for their commitment to this important issue, and urge Members to keep the momentum moving during the upcoming session. May I take it that it is the wish of the Assembly to conclude its consideration of agenda item 119?