S/PV.6178Resumption1 Security Council

The President: I would like to inform the Council that in addition to the list of countries that I mentioned this morning, I have received letters from the representatives of Nepal and the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in which they request to be invited to participate in the consideration of the item on the Council's agenda. In accordance with the usual practice, I propose, with the consent of the Council, to invite those representatives to participate in the consideration without the right to vote in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Charter and rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure. There being no objection, it is so decided. At the invitation of the President, the representatives of the aforementioned countries took the seats reservedfor them at the side of the Council Chamber The President: I would like to remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than five minutes in order to enable the Council to carry out its work expeditiously. I now give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Morocco.

Mr. Loulichki (Morocco): It is a real pleasure, Mr. President, to participate in this debate under your leadership and your guidance. I have the honour to speak on behalf the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), and I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this public debate and for the opportunity to express and share our views at this important juncture for United Nations peacekeeping in terms of policy debates and future direction. We thank Mr. Alain Le Roy, Under- Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and Ms. Susana Malcorra, Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, for their insightful and informative statements. The Movement continues to stress that United Nations peacekeeping operations should not be used as a substitute for addressing the root causes of conflicts, which should be addressed in a coherent, well-planned, coordinated and comprehensive manner with the relevant political, social, economic and development instruments. NAM. further maintains that the United Nations should give high consideration to the manner 2 in which those efforts can continue without interruption after the departure of peacekeeping operations, so as to ensure a smooth transition to lasting peace, security and development. NAM. believes that peacekeeping operations should strictly observe the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, as well as those that have evolved to govern peacekeeping as its basic principles, namely, the consent of the parties, the non-use of force except in self-defence, and impartiality. The concept of the defence of the mandate cannot be put at the same level as these three guiding principles, since its application is restricted to the operational and tactical levels. NAM. also emphasizes that respect for the principles of sovereign equality, political independence and territorial integrity of all States and non-intervention in matters that are essentially within their domestic jurisdiction should be maintained in this regard. NAM. continues to underscore that United Nations peacekeeping operations should be provided from the outset with political support, adequate human, financial and logistical resources and clearly defined and achievable mandates. The credibility of the authorized mandates rests on their clarity and their achievability. The establishment of complex peacekeeping operations in recent years underlines the importance of a well-planned and carefully designed political process supported by the parties to a conflict. The consent of the parties and their adherence from the outset to the peace process is the best way to ensure that peacekeeping operates efficiently and leads to lasting peace, security and development. With respect to securing the needed financial and logistical resources, NAM. reiterates that all Member States contribute to the budget and that no special privileges should be established or recognized. Rather, we should all continue to sustain this unique tool at the disposal of United Nations. Better planning and budgeting, improved managerial and organizational capacity and energized triangular cooperation between troop-contributing countries (TCCs), the Secretariat and this Council are key to enhancing and strengthening the Organization's capacity to face the current challenges. 09-44473 To accomplish this, it is necessary to synergize all initiatives and processes to ensure continuity of the reform process and to coordinate all efforts in a coherent and strategic direction for peacekeeping. To begin with, the General Assembly and its Special Committee in charge of reviewing all aspects of peacekeeping operations, the Security Council and the Secretariat should work in a manner to ensure synergy of efforts to meet our collective goals. Troop-contributing countries of the NAM. remain committed to these goals by providing 87 per cent of the personnel of United Nations peacekeeping. This unchallenged reality requires their imperative involvement in a meaningful manner in all aspects and stages of a peacekeeping operation. In this regard, we would like to express appreciation for the effort made by the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations to seek the Views of TCCs on various aspects of current peacekeeping operations. NAM. also appreciates the Council's call, through today's draft presidential statement, to deepen consultation through the mechanism of triangular cooperation. NAM. will undoubtedly provide its views in due course on how to energize such cooperation. In this context, the concept paper prepared by the United Kingdom presidency lays down some promising options for a better dialogue and interaction. Given its mandate, which has been reaffirmed over years by the General Assembly, the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations remains "the only United Nations forum mandated to review comprehensively the whole question of peacekeeping operations in all their aspects, including measures aimed at enhancing the capacity of the Organization to conduct United Nations peacekeeping operations ..." (A/63/l9, para. 18). Its military and policy expertise, built on extensive debate and discussion, could feed this Council's needs for such expertise. The Committee, also known as the Committee of Thirty Four (C-34), has always provided the framework to discuss reform processes such as the Brahimi report, the Peace Operations 2010 reform agenda and the major restructuring of DPKO and the creation of the Department of Field Support (DFS). The assessments and recommendations provided in the DPKO-DFS non-paper entitled "A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for 09-44473 United Nations Peacekeeping" need to be considered by the C-34, which took note of the non-paper in its last session. I would like to emphasize once again that the Special Committee remains the appropriate forum to discuss the non-paper's ideas and suggestions, such as a robust approach to peacekeeping. NAM. will carefully examine the Secretariat's non-paper and provide its observations and comments in the same manner it did for the guidelines and principles referred to within the Secretariat as the "Capstone Document". Twice this year - during the first and second debate, under the French and the Turkish presidencies respectively - NAM. has provided its views and would like to renew today our readiness to deepen consultations between the TCCs and the Council in order to meet the rising challenges, having peace and security as the main objective and benchmark. We also reiterate our call on all developed countries to share the burden of peacekeeping. Engaging their troops and dealing with difficulties stemming from deployments in hostile environments and difficult political contexts would demonstrate that there exists a genuine partnership among Member States and would bring much-needed responses to the future direction of United Nations peacekeeping. Thanking you, Mr. President, for your indulgence, I would like to wish you all the best in your new endeavours.

The President: I thank the representative of Morocco for his kind words. I now give the floor to the representative of Canada.

Ms. Hulan (Canada): Mr. President, thank you for organizing today's debate. In the interests of time, Sir, and as you requested at the outset of this meeting, I will deliver a summary version of Canada's statement and would note that the full text of these remarks is being circulated in hard copy. Canada welcomes the renewed attention which the Council has given to the future of United Nations peacekeeping in recent months, in particular the initiative undertaken by your own delegation, Sir, and that of France, as well as the efforts of the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, under the able guidance of Japan. Canada also thanks Under-Secretaries-General Alain Le Roy and Susana Malcorra for their briefings earlier and for the collective efforts of their two departments in producing the non-paper before us today. The vision of renewed partnership that they have given us is a vital one, and we view this non-paper as a serious and forward-looking contribution to the continuing dialogue on the future of peacekeeping. The presidential statement to be adopted following this meeting is a good preliminary response. We particularly welcome advances that have been made in the important area of benchmarking and with respect to designing credible and achievable mandates, which are the cornerstone of effective United Nations operations. The commitment expressed in the presidential statement to engage in deeper and more meaningful consultations with troop- and police- contributing countries is also heartening, and Canada looks forward to future Council decisions on how this commitment will be further implemented. United Nations peacekeeping has had many successes over the years. Peacekeeping activities have prevented relapse into violent conflict, created conditions for durable peace and saved lives. However, if peacekeeping is to remain a viable and effective tool for managing conflict, its practice must adapt to the needs of the increasingly complex environments in which missions are deployed. Delivering on this aspiration will require continued effort and progress in both peacekeeping policy and practice. It is clear that peace operations are most effective when supported by a solid political consensus. However, it is equally clear that the membership as a whole is still grappling with the implications of many of the new and emerging challenges facing peace operations. Achieving the renewed global partnership called for in the non-paper will require inclusive policy consultations with Member States and partner organizations. Among the issues that we believe would profit from future discussions are the scope of mandates and the modalities by which they are conducted, the political dimensions of peace operations, and resourcing. We believe that a shared understanding of these issues within the membership as a whole lies at the very heart of any effort to renew broad-based support for United Nations action, and we look forward to engaging in an inclusive discussion with other Member States on all of these issues in the months ahead. The fact that there remain complex issues that legitimately require further deliberation should not deter us from making progress in the near term where progress is possible. In our view, there are a number of practical steps that can be taken in the immediate term to improve the manner in which peace operations are mandated, supported and conducted. Let me highlight just three. First is enhanced consultation with troop- contributing countries (TCCs), The manner in which TCCs are consulted by this body on mission mandates is highlighted repeatedly through A New Partnership Agenda. Canada believes that this dialogue is fundamental in crafting the partnership that that document envisages. We therefore urge the Secretariat and the Security Council to take practical steps to enhance those consultations. We welcome the proposals in that regard. Specifically, we urge the Council to ensure that those consultations take place during the mandate-generation phase, not after the fact. In our view, that need not be a cumbersome process, nor does it imply in any way an erosion of the Council's fundamental authority for crafting and approving mandates. However, prior consultation and a genuine responsiveness by this body and the Secretariat to the views of those tasked with carrying out the mandates would be, in our view, of benefit to all parties. Second is enhancing the political consensus underpinning individual peace operations. As other speakers have noted in this debate, improving and sustaining the political support of regional actors, donors and troop contributors for individual operations is critically important. We have learned in recent years that the shared objectives and concerted collaboration of mission-specific coalitions, such as that which exists for the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, can provide invaluable political, diplomatic and practical support for United Nations missions. While we acknowledge that this model may not be appropriate for every mission, we believe that the practice can and should be deepened with the active support of this Council. Finally, allow me to say a word on the non-military dimensions of peacekeeping operations. It is increasingly recognized within the membership that a basic condition for the exit of a peacekeeping presence is the consolidation of legitimate national security and justice institutions. Indeed, policing, security system reform and rule of law are now recognized as core functions of modern peacekeeping. Our work and investment need to reflect that reality. In the next phase of the current review, Canada would welcome further exploration of that set of challenges and, specifically, the elaboration of a strategic direction for the future of United Nations policing efforts that identifies areas of need, including the specialized skills required for tackling organized crime and investigating sexually-based violence; assesses the likely scale of the policing demand and how to meet it, including a review of formed police units; and, lastly, explores alternative models of deployment. In conclusion, my delegation would like once again to thank the Secretariat and the delegations of the United Kingdom, France and Japan for their considerable efforts to advance this agenda. I can assure them of Canada's fullest support through the next phase of this important initiative, including through the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and in the Fifth Committee.

The President: I thank the representative of Canada for the contribution that her delegation has made to this debate over the past months and years. I now give the floor to the representative of Indonesia.

Mr. Natalegawa (Indonesia): Let me join previous speakers in thanking you, Mr. President, for convening this important debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations. We would also like to thank Under-Secretaries-General Alain Le Roy and Susana Malcorra for their important remarks. My delegation associates itself with the statement delivered earlier by the Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We welcome the Council's recognition that United Nations peacekeeping is a unique global partnership that brings together the commitments and contributions of the entire United Nations system. In this shared effort, all stakeholders need to be on the same page, working in concert and with a sense of common purpose to effectively address the peacekeeping challenges. Indeed, there has not been a shortage of ideas and initiatives. We have seen many processes initiated by the Council, individual Member States and the Secretariat to improve the global partnership. Nevertheless, it is essential that, at the end of those processes and in order to ensure the ownership of all stakeholders, there should be one agreed framework encapsulating those many initiatives on how to make progress. We note that the Council, for its part, has recently laid down benchmarks in a number of its resolutions relating to specific peacekeeping operations. The focus on timelines and strategic workplans, with tracking of progress, is, indeed, a positive development. We also recognize the efforts of the Council to develop practices to improve collective oversight. We appreciate the efforts of the Council to enhance dialogue with stakeholders for better planning and oversight of peacekeeping operations. In that context, we thank Under-Secretaries- General Alain Le Roy and Susana Malcorra for their non-paper, entitled "A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for United Nations Peacekeeping". The non-paper is, indeed, an important contribution to the wider deliberation processes on how to better address the challenges of peacekeeping. The non-paper could also be used as a basis for further concrete efforts. It is our hope that its contents will be duly discussed by Member States and feed into the comprehensive review undertaken by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34). Indonesia believes that, in order to arrive at a clear, credible and achievable mandate, there should be meaningful and multistage consultations by the Council with stakeholders at an early stage. On the operational aspect, benchmarks set up by the Council should be the basis for deciding whether a mission has achieved its objectives. In addition, greater effort should be made to fill the gaps between the Council's mandates vis-a-vis the concept of operations and the rules of engagement, which serve as the manual for peacekeepers in the field. There is often an absence or lack of clear parameters on the number and types of personnel and equipment to cover the vast and complex mandate of a mission to protect civilians. Clarity of parameters is also needed to ascertain the success of a peacekeeping mission, thus ensuring a seamless transition from the peacekeeping to the post- conflict peacebuilding phase. The importance of coherence and integration among peacekeeping, peacebuilding and development must be emphasized. We share the view contained in the New Horizon non-paper on the need to define, with Member States, the logistical, training and equipment requirements for missions. We look forward to the development of the draft strategic guidance note from the Secretariat on an approach to robust peacekeeping before the end of 2009. We encourage further systematic collaboration among peacekeeping stakeholders, which could be mapped out by the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations and the C-34. While we note the assurances of the Council that it will strive for more meaningful engagement and better information- sharing with troop-contributing countries (TCCs), one key challenge remains - how to ensure that inputs from TCCs or potential TCCs are fully utilized in the Council's decision-making process. I have some concluding thoughts. Indonesia welcomes the continued support of the Council for partnership in peacekeeping with relevant regional and subregional organizations. It is our firm belief that such organizations have much to contribute, not least to the full range of responses when addressing a situation that may endanger international peace and security. A full range of responses suggests that a peacekeeping mission by itself is not a panacea for conflict resolution. It has to be, and usually is, an integral part of the broader political solution.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Guatemala.

Mr. Rosenthal (Guatemala) (spoke in Spanish): I wish to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your initiative to organize this open debate and to thank you for the concept note that you circulated among all delegations. The topic is extremely relevant not only for the Security Council, but for the entire United Nations system. We associate ourselves with the statement made by the representative of the Kingdom of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, but would like to add some specific remarks. As a country that benefited directly from a United Nation mission, Guatemala recognizes the fundamental importance of the Organization's peacekeeping operations. They are a basic activity of the United Nations and an indispensable tool for the work of this Organization, in which we participate as a troop- contributing country. At the same time, United Nations peacekeeping operations are faced with increasing demand, expanding scale, increasingly diverse mandates and growing complexity. This is taking place in a context of limited financial and technical resources, placing great pressure on our capacity to respond. Thus, the issue of how to enhance the effectiveness of United Nations peacekeeping operations has been on our agenda for many years, and today more than ever before, answers are needed. For our part, I should like to make the following observations. First, and as indicated in the concept reference note, we agree that it is important that peacekeeping operations have clear, feasible and verifiable mandates tailored to the particular situation of each case. We believe that, in the formulation and/or extension of mandates, every available tool should be taken into account on the basis of a needs assessment for each case. Resolution 1353 (2001) provided us with a comprehensive vision of what should be done in that regard. Secondly, we should ensure that missions receive sufficient financial resources to fulfil the mandates entrusted to them. In that connection, my delegation believes that the expression "major financial contributors" should not be used in relation to peacekeeping operations, as it runs counter to the letter and the spirit of the Charter. All Member States contribute to the budget in accordance with their capacity to pay. Thirdly, consultations with countries that are not Council members and that contribute troops to peacekeeping operations should be enhanced. Thus, it is necessary to improve the relationship between those who formulate mandates and plan and manage peacekeeping operations and those who carry out such mandates. Troop-contributing countries should participate fully from the outset in all aspects and stages of peacekeeping operations, helping the Security Council to take appropriate, effective and timely decisions. In that regard, we highlight the importance of strengthening and intensifying the interaction between the Working Group on United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and the troop-contributing countries. We commend the important work being done by Japan as Chair of the Working Group, and we look forward with interest to the interim report on the work of the Group in 2009, which, we understand, will be distributed shortly. Fourthly, the concept note mentions joint meetings between political experts and military experts to discuss aspects of peacekeeping operations. My delegation believes that such joint meetings, held within the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (C-34), are vital. Thus, it would also be desirable to expand the coordination between the Security Council and other General Assembly forums, in particular the C-34, which, as members are aware, was established pursuant to General Assembly resolution 2006 (XIX), precisely to consider in depth all aspects related to peacekeeping operations. Fifthly, we have closely followed the process of the non-paper originally entitled "Project New Horizon" and recently issued as "A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for United Nations Peacekeeping". We hope that the document will be considered by the C-34 with a view to producing a detailed assessment of the current and future challenges to peacekeeping operations indicated in the document by both Departments. In conclusion, we believe that we have much better information today about how to address the challenge facing us than we had a number of years ago. We have significant assets at our disposal as a result of lessons learned in many complex operations over the past 15 years, in addition to the guidelines set out in the now-classic 2000 Brahimi report (8/2000/809), the "Peace Operations 2010" proposal, the restructuring of the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the creation of the Department of Field Support. In addition to all that, we now have the evaluations and recommendations contained in the New Horizon document. Over the past few years, interesting functional associations have also been established between the United Nations and regional forums, in particular the African Union. In short, we must abandon incomplete reforms, tensions within management and command systems and the disproportionality between mandates and resources, as well as problems of scale, since those aspects only reduce the efficiency of United Nations peacekeeping operations. My delegation firmly believes that in the future, through strengthened cooperation and political will, we can achieve effective United Nations peacekeeping operations in keeping with the relevant aspirations and objectives set out in the Charter.

The President: I now call on the representative of Bangladesh.

Mr. Chowdhury (Bangladesh): First, let me congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for this month. I also wish to thank you for convening this important debate. My thanks also go to Under-Secretaries-General Le Roy and Malcorra and to Force Commander General Agwai for their comprehensive and informative briefings this morning. My delegation aligns itself with the statement delivered by the Permanent Representative of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. In addition, I wish to briefly highlight certain points that we believe to be important. United Nations peacekeeping operations have experienced many difficult situations in terms of their legitimacy and modus operandi. It is necessary to adjust their modes of operation while retaining the basic and guiding principles agreed upon by Member States. Many initiatives have been accomplished, some have not, and some are ongoing. I would like to mention the necessity of crafting clear, credible and achievable mandates. The Security Council, in its resolution 1327 (2000) on the Brahimi report (S/2000/809), resolved to give peacekeeping operations such mandates. Given the increased complexity of the mandated tasks of the missions, there is a need for well-defined and unambiguous mandates. The Security Council, in its resolution 1327 (2000), noted the need to address the root causes of violent conflict through the promotion of sustainable development and democratic society. I wish to stress that the Security Council should be able to address those causes of conflicts effectively and that further action should be taken to bridge the institutional divide between peacekeeping operations and post-conflict reconstruction. I would also stress the need for further harmonization and consolidation of United Nations-led initiatives, whereby lessons learned from Council- mandated integrated peacekeeping missions could be taken into account. We also emphasize the need for greater synergy between peacekeeping operations and peacebuilding activities. Regarding consultation with troop-contributing countries (TCCs), my delegation has spoken of this on a number of occasions. I would like to mention here that all necessary steps on such matters should be taken in compliance with resolutions 1327 (2000) and 1353 (2000). It is imperative and logical to benefit from the experience and expertise of the troop-contributing countries while planning, implementing, extending or adjusting peacekeeping mandates. The TCCs can undoubtedly contribute to the planning process of the Security Council in arriving at appropriate decisions on United Nations peacekeeping operations. Given the scale and complexity of peacekeeping, there is a lack of adequate human, financial and logistical resources. Although peacekeeping is one component among a range of overlapping and mutually reinforcing activities that include peacemaking, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, it is undeniably the critical building block and a crucial transitional phase that paves the way to lasting peace. It is therefore necessary to make all resources available to ensure the maintenance of peace and security in a conflict area. We also believe in a wider partnership in peacekeeping. We emphasize that the contributor base should be expanded to ensure collective burden- sharing. Bangladesh welcomes the complementary role played by regional organizations in United Nations- mandated peacekeeping operations. Their role, however, must not be seen as a substitute for that of the United Nations. United Nations peacekeeping forces must maintain a true international character in order to uphold their universality, impartiality and neutrality. Turning to the New Horizon non-paper, we take note of the Secretariat's efforts to put these assessments and recommendations together.

The President: I give the floor to the representative of Serbia.

Mr. Stareevie (Serbia): Peacekeeping operations are one of the most important aspects of the capacity of the United Nations to safeguard international peace and security, and I wish to join those who have spoken before me in congratulating you, Mr. President, on convening this meeting of the Security Council on this important issue. Serbia attaches great importance to the United Nations role in promoting and maintaining international peace and security, and is committed to participating in the system of collective security. In this way, it makes its contribution to projecting and building a favourable security environment at the global and regional levels, and continues the tradition of Yugoslavia's participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations, dating as far back as 1956. Following more than a decade-long absence, Serbia, by sending military observers to the United Nations Mission of Support in East Timor in June 2002, once again joined the ranks of States that take active part in the establishment and maintenance of peace and stability in the world. In addition to military observers, Serbia's contribution to peacekeeping missions has also included the dispatch of medical and police teams. Today, Serbia takes part in five peacekeeping operations. The participation of Serbian personnel in United Nations peacekeeping operations is becoming an ever- more important element of the foreign policy of my country and a new expression of its international cooperation and its inclusion into international integration processes. The defence and national security strategies of the Republic of Serbia, adopted in April 2009, provide for the country's active participation in multinational operations mandated by the United Nations. The main tasks and objectives of these strategies in the security sector are aimed at building and maintaining international peace and security. Peacekeeping mandates are much more diversified today than they have been in the past and include, in addition to conflict prevention and maintenance of peace components, post-conflict reconstruction and long-term social development tasks. We therefore need a comprehensive approach that establishes a solid basis and criteria for making peacekeeping operations more efficient and effective. We also need to establish more firmly a principle of analysis and review of each individual peacekeeping operation, and to strengthen the cooperation and coordination of the Security Council and other United Nations bodies in areas of j oint responsibility. Furthermore, it is necessary to prepare an integrated strategy for planning and implementing peacekeeping missions. Despite the positive results of those missions and their focus on the protection of civilians, the number of civilian victims is, unfortunately, increasing. In order to ensure the success of a peacekeeping operation, we need first and foremost to define its mandate in clear terms, always taking into account the specific situation in which the operation is going to take place, as well as the involvement of external factors. This is particularly true for the deployment of rapid reaction forces, where we need to define very clearly the role of the troop-contributing countries as well. Recently, the United Nations has been increasingly involved in coordinating activities among different peacekeeping missions. In addition, regional organizations tend to be assigned an ever-greater role in peacekeeping operations in various parts of the world. However, their participation in maintaining regional peace and security cannot be a substitute for the key role of the United Nations in the implementation of a peacekeeping operation. Regional organizations' mandates must be strictly in accordance with the provisions of Chapter VII of the Charter and fully under the aegis of the Security Council. The success of a peacekeeping operation depends, in great measure, on the cooperation of the United Nations with troop-contributing States. However, we must not disregard United Nations cooperation with troop-receiving countries. This cooperation should not be limited to the specific questions of the conduct of the operation; rather, it should encompass a whole range of other questions of wider importance, such as terrorism, trafficking in drugs and human trafficking, concerning which close coordination can be very useful. Such cooperation should be institutionalized through status of mission and status of forces agreements. Moreover, peacekeeping missions should not deal with the causes of conflict and must be carried out in strict respect for the principle of territorial integrity and political independence. Under resolution 1244 (1999), the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) has been engaged as the civilian part of the United Nations peacekeeping operation in the territory of the Republic of Serbia, in Kosovo and Metohija, with the task of maintaining stability and security in that province. In June last year, an initiative was launched to reconfigure UNMIK, involving an enhanced operational role of the European Union in the rule of law area. The Republic of Serbia took active part in the UNMIK reconfiguration debate. Following an agreement between the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the United Nations, and with the approval of the Security Council, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX) assumed full operational responsibility in the rule of law area on 9 December 2008. According to that agreement, EULEX will fully respect resolution 1244 (1999) and operate under the overall authority and within the status-neutral framework of the United Nations. It will submit reports to the United Nations on a regular basis. The deployment of EULEX throughout Kosovo will be carried out in close consultation with the relevant stakeholders, taking into account the specific circumstances and concerns of all communities, and will coordinate with UNMIK. For Serbia, the implementation of the six-point plan of the Secretary- General remains of paramount importance. As in the past, the Republic of Serbia is ready to make its maximum contribution to the functioning of UNMIK and EULEX, as well as to any other peacekeeping operation under United Nations auspices. Serbia continues to insist that UNMIK must continue to play the central role in maintaining peace and stability in Kosovo and Metohija, as well as the role of coordinator in the implementation of resolution 1244 (1999). We also firmly believe that the proper funding of the Mission should be maintained. In conclusion, let me say that the recent contributions of the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support towards defining the present and future challenges of United Nations peacekeeping operations and finding ways of dealing with them are very valuable. They give us an excellent base for further discussions that should be carried out in the spirit of cooperation and awareness of the importance of the issues involved.

The President: I give the floor to the Permanent Representative of India.

Mr. Puri (India): Mr. President, let me begin by thanking you for organizing this debate. India attaches the highest importance to the issue of peacekeeping. This is the second time in six weeks that I have spoken in this Chamber on this topic, which is indicative of the importance that my delegation attaches to engaging in the ongoing deliberations on this subject in the Council and in other forums. My delegation would like to take this opportunity to align itself broadly with the statement made by the representative of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. A number of initiatives, including that of the delegations of the United Kingdom and France, are under way with the aim of taking stock of the current state of peacekeeping. These efforts are being supplemented or complemented by those of the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations and the Secretariat's New Horizon project. A number of common themes run through these parallel efforts. The draft presidential statement circulated among Member States, which we have studied carefully, attempts to come to grips with some of these issues. Without going into the merits of the question of whether a presidential statement is the appropriate format for addressing these issues, we would like to express our appreciation for the work that has gone into the document. We find some of the ideas and recommendations useful and timely. As a nation that has provided and continues to provide the United Nations with thousands of soldiers and policemen, in addition to a large proportion of operating air assets, we feel that the nature of the Security Council's mandates and the manner in which they are generated represent an area of major and continuing concern. Mandates are too broad and have very little correlation with the ability of the Organization to deliver. We reiterate the importance of the recommendation contained in the Brahimi report (S/2000/809) that mandates be clear and achievable. We also reiterate that this will not be possible without substantively involving countries that contribute manpower and resources to peacekeeping operations. India is not unfamiliar with the concept of robust peacekeeping. In December 1962, an Indian officer, General Dewan Prem Chand, led an acclaimed United Nations military operation, consisting largely of Indian troops, deployed in the United Nations Operation in the Congo (ONUC), which ended the Katangese secession and restored authority to the Congo Government. ONUC, in which India lost 39 peacekeepers, was the first robust United Nations peacekeeping operation. The Operation was conducted in response to a clear mandate arrived at after consultations. Today, we receive feedback from our personnel on the ground informing us that questions of substantive interpretation of the mandates, with repercussions beyond the immediate, are often left to the judgement of mission personnel on the ground. This is a difficult situation, particularly for military officers, who operate best when there are unambiguous instructions and objectives. Unrealistic mandates have led to situations in which mission personnel are forced to ask national contingents to undertake tasks and utilize contingent- owned equipment in a manner inconsistent with the legal framework under which they are deployed. We note with appreciation the thrust of the statement on the question of triangular consultations. We would here once again like to draw attention to our most recent experience in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where changes in the rules of engagement and concept of operations were communicated to the troop-contributing countries after they had been authorized. I reiterate that being informed is not the same as being consulted. We also note the Council's intention to increase interaction with the Secretariat during the drafting of a mandate on the rule of law and peacebuilding dimensions of an operation. We believe that the future effectiveness of the United Nations in maintaining peace and security in the context of peacekeeping lies in its ability to harness national governance capacities in affected countries. These national capacities, as the post-colonial experience of many societies reveals, usually exist in ample measure. The challenge lies in applying to these situations the capacities and knowledge of countries that have undergone successful post-colonial nation-building exercises. The Council therefore needs to expand the ambit of its consultations to include these countries. The Secretariat has a predilection for codification. Doctrines and benchmarks are constantly being written and updated. While we have no argument that there is a need to set standards, we need to remind ourselves that standards should be set in a manner that is realistic and relevant to the operating environment in which United Nations peacekeepers deploy. Doctrines and standards must not become like mandates - statements rather than a blueprint for action. Field support needs far greater attention. It is our view, based on our experience of supporting the large contingents that we currently have under deployment, that the Department of Field Support (DFS) needs far greater internal coordination and client orientation. It has also been our view that the Department needs to function as a military support operation with a lean command structure. We feel that there is a need for far greater engagement of Member States on the question of the functioning of the DFS. In conclusion, I would salute the peacekeepers from India and other nations who have laid down their lives while serving in United Nations missions. I would also like to reiterate India's commitment to work with the United Nations in the maintenance of international peace and security, including through the mechanism of peacekeeping.

The President: I give the floor to the Permanent Representative of Uruguay.

Mr. Cancela (Uruguay) (spoke in Spanish): Mr. President, I wish first to thank you for convening this meeting. I would also like to thank Under- Secretaries-General Susana Malcorra and Alain Le Roy for their presence and their briefings, and to General Agwai, Force Commander of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur. Secondly, I should like to express my delegation's appreciation of the indisputable efforts of the Security Council throughout this year to achieve more fluid and substantive interaction with troop- contributing countries. Several initiatives and actions have been undertaken on this issue in the United Nations in recent months. Uruguay appreciates them all and is convinced that, although there is still much to be done in order to agree consensual responses to the principal challenges facing peacekeeping operations, these exercises are of intrinsic value and have already allowed certain basic understandings to emerge. In our view, the central understanding that has taken shape pertains to strengthening the concept of the partnership involved in United Nations peacekeeping. The future of peacekeeping operations is inconceivable without a broader and deeper dialogue among the major actors of the system - Member States, in particular troop-contributing countries, the host State, the Security Council and the Secretariat. The question is how we can extend and deepen that partnership. From the perspective of a troop- contributing country like Uruguay, it is essential to deepen and, in some cases, effectively utilize existing mechanisms. With respect to the Security Council, that would not only entail convening meetings pursuant to resolutions 1327 (2000) and 1353 (2001), but also involve the consultation mechanism referred to the note of the President of the Security Council contained in document S/2002/56. As recent meetings of the Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations convened by the Japanese delegation have clearly shown, substantive meetings between troop-contributing countries, the Secretariat and the Working Group on specific missions can be very productive. It is important that such meetings be convened in a timely manner before mandates are approved or renewed, as well as at key junctures during a mission. We therefore encourage the effective implementation of that mechanism. It is also important that we continue to convene meetings such as today's on a regular basis in order to address this issue in a general manner and specific matters of sensitivity to all Member States. As we have stated since the beginning of the year, we must not underestimate the importance of ensuring a broad basis of support for Council-approved mandates, especially if we take into account the nature of the new tasks being integrated into those mandates. These tasks are more complex and require more robust rules of engagement, for example in the protection of civilians. While we recognize that the Security Council has promoted the development of such tasks, seeking as broad a consensus as possible among all Member States would not only ensure the greater legitimacy of and weaker resistance to such action, but would also generate stronger commitment among all those involved in its implementation. Thus, the role of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations must be re-evaluated, and to that end we must all strive to build confidence among those involved. Moreover, the relationship with the Secretariat is fundamental in this respect. It is clear that there is plenty of room for the troop-contributing countries and the Secretariat to improve and deepen their dialogue, and both sides must work to that end. In addition to seeking to deepen and ensure that mechanisms for the exchange of information and consultation become more substantive, there is a clear need to improve the level of representation for the troop-contributing countries at Headquarters and in the field, particularly at the senior level. We stress this point not solely to emphasize the issue of geographical distribution of office, but also because we fully believe that communications in the field and between the field and Headquarters regarding the implementation of mandates would be significantly improved by enhanced feedback between national systems and the Organization. This discussion of the New Horizon project and the new partnership agenda is an excellent opportunity to build broad consensus on such practical aspects as the definition of critical strategies to address current and future peacekeeping operations. The documents submitted by the Departments of Peacekeeping Operations and Field Support provide an excellent basis for the debate on these issues in the months to come, to which we hope to make a constructive contribution.

The President: I give the floor to the representative of Australia.

Mr. Goledzinowski (Australia): I thank you, Sir, for convening today's debate. I congratulate you on your assumption of the presidency, and would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Uganda on its presidency last month. At the outset, I should also like to acknowledge the efforts of the United Kingdom, including its work this year with France on peacekeeping reform. I should also like to thank Mr. Le Roy and Ms. Malcorra for their statements today, for their patient presence here with us during this debate, and for their ongoing efforts to keep Member States informed on the progress of initiatives to date. Finally, I should like to congratulate the United States on its very important announcement today that it will be paying its outstanding peacekeeping dues. We welcome the initiative represented in the New Horizon non-paper. Given the constraints on time, we will highlight just a few key points that we would like to make in that regard. Political support through the life cycle of a United Nations peacekeeping mission is critical to its overall success. There needs to be more sustained consideration by the Council of missions during all stages of their development, not only when a mission is due to appear on the Security Council's agenda. In this regard, and was as acknowledged earlier today in the statements of Japan, New Zealand and Canada, we agree that there is advantage in the contributions of informal mission-specific coalitions of engaged stakeholders. Such informal support groups can provide valuable assistance in mobilizing political support and resources. We think that this is a welcome step and provides a constructive opportunity to gather input from a wide range of stakeholders, including troop- and police-contributing countries, on a particular mission. Our own membership in the core group on Timor- Leste has enabled us to observe the benefits that wider cooperation on a particular mission can provide, particularly one that is integrated and involves several non-United Nations components. The core group has been pivotal in ensuring that Member States supporting the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor-Leste have been able to provide input into the development of the Mission mandate, thereby ensuring their sustained political support during the different evolutions of the mission cycle. The leadership by South Africa and Japan as co-Chairs of the core group has very much assisted the group to function well. When we create or renew peacekeeping missions, the Security Council needs to ensure that those missions' mandates are both credible and achievable. This requires a clear understanding within the Council regarding the implications of mandated tasks with regard to resources and possible outcomes. One particular area where this requires significant improvement is mandating tasks on the protection of civilians, as Under-Secretary-General Le Roy highlighted earlier today. The Council has been effective in including the protection of civilians in the mandates of peacekeeping operations. However, it is critical that we now ensure these mandates are effectively applied in the field. Some missions have started to develop the means to do this, such as through the use of joint protection teams in the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo or the initiative by the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur on the protection of civilians. We welcome these developments, but stress that further work must be done to capture the lessons that are being learned in these missions. We need to ensure that these lessons are shared and included in the development of training and guidelines to assist all peacekeepers to implement these mandates in the field. The successful achievement of peacekeeping mission mandates also requires the timely provision of essential resources. Any lack of responsiveness can put those mandates at risk. We therefore welcome the work of the Department of Field Support in developing a support strategy that has the potential to modernize and globalize United Nations peacekeeping support structures, thereby improving the protection of Member States' personnel and resources. We also recognize the importance of the related issue of planning. Australia therefore welcomes the progress achieved thus far on strengthening integrated mission planning and hopes to see further progress occur. We also support the development by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations of guidelines on civil-military coordination. Australia believes that it is only through concerted effort and input from all parties who have an interest in United Nations peacekeeping that we will truly be able to address the challenges that continue to face it. Australia looks forward to working with the Secretariat, the Security Council and other Member States on further discussing and making progress on some of the recommendations contained in the New Horizon non-paper. In closing, I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge once again the service of those men and women deployed to peace operations around the world.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Tunisia.

Mr. Jomaa (Tunisia) (spoke in Arabic): First of all, I would like to express to you, Mr. President, the warm congratulations of my delegation on your presidency of the Council for this month. I am convinced that, thanks to your broad experience, the work and deliberations of the Council will be successful. I would also like to pay tribute to you for choosing peacekeeping operations as the main item on the agenda under your presidency. I would also like to thank Mr. Le Roy, the Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and Ms. Malcorra, the Under-Secretary-General for Field Support, for their participation in this debate and for their valuable briefings on developments in the subject that we are discussing. I would like to support the statement made by Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. There is no doubt that this debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations is very timely and extremely important, due to the growing challenges facing such operations. We are invited to consider the various initiatives undertaken recently to contribute to the development of peacekeeping operations, in particular the study published by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support, along with the French-British initiative. Here, I would like to highlight the need to ensure that all Member States, in particular troop-contributing countries, participate actively in such debates throughout the consideration of all items related to this pivotal issue, in the light of the increased need for peacekeeping operations and the need to ensure peace and security in the world. My delegation believes that the General Assembly and the relevant bodies and committees, particularly the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, remain the appropriate framework in which to examine this issue, with the participation of all Member States and the Secretariat and with the valuable contribution of the Security Council and its Working Group of the Whole on Peacekeeping Operations. Tunisia has participated for over 40 years in peacekeeping operations and continues to participate in and contribute to these operations. We are convinced of the noble goals of our Organization, and thus the maintenance of peace, stability and security in the world is an essential issue for us. Here, I would like to reiterate our determination to support and participate in peacekeeping operations, which are among the greatest successes of our Organization in spite of the difficulties faced, as these operations provide hope to people who are living in a climate of conflict, crisis or war. While we strive to coordinate our activities and experience with the Department of Peacekeeping Operations, I would like to highlight the following points. With respect to the structure and organizational framework of peacekeeping operations, transparency must be ensured with regard to all resolutions related to the creation and enhancement of a peacekeeping operation or to the renewal of a mandate. This must be accomplished through ongoing coordination with stakeholders, particularly troop-contributing countries, the Secretariat and the Security Council. This is one of the main and pivotal points contained in the presidential statement that has been proposed by the United Kingdom for adoption at the conclusion of this meeting. Next, we must pool our efforts to develop the capacity of peacekeeping operations and ensure their coherence, and we must examine the contents and objectives of these operations in the light of the New Horizon study. Given the importance and sensitivity of this subject, there should an ongoing in-depth dialogue between Member States and the Secretariat before the study can be adopted. With respect to the management on the ground of peacekeeping operations and their governing principles, we would like to highlight the importance of respecting the basic principles governing peacekeeping operations, that is, the consent of stakeholders, non-resort to force except in self-defence and the principle of neutrality, which is very essential. In addition, the primary responsibility of these missions is to endeavour to ensure the protection and safety of civilians. We should also take care to guarantee that forces are protected when they are deployed or redeployed by providing them with the equipment they need to carry out their mission and by creating favourable conditions for doing so in order to ensure success. Prior consultations should take place with the troop-contributing countries on logistics issues related to the mission. Those are the observations that my delegation wanted to share with the Council. I think that these are points that are of importance to all. I think too that this debate will enable us to compile the points of view and the visions of Members in order to ensure greater effectiveness and benefit in peacekeeping operations, given the increased demand for these operations, due to the unfortunate increase in the number of hot spots of tension and crises in the world.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Pakistan.

Mr. Amil (Pakistan): I would first like to congratulate you, Sir, on your assumption of the Council's presidency and to wish you success in your work. We welcome the opportunity to participate in this debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations, the third in a series of important discussions that the Council has held since January, in addition to the meetings of the Council's Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, to which the Pakistan delegation has also contributed. It is right that the Council devotes time and attention to this dialogue and interaction aimed at making peacekeeping work better. After all, peacekeeping is today the flagship activity of the United Nations and one of the key instruments in the hands of the Council to carry out its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The challenges of effective planning and management of peacekeeping operations are quite well known to the policymakers and practitioners. There also seems to be a fairly good idea of the kind of responses and actions, backed with adequate mechanisms, capacity and resources, that are required to address those challenges. What is generally lacking is the implementation part. And it is here that this process, and the draft presidential statement that is before the Council, could add value. Let me say that implementation will become easier if the relevant actors and stakeholders are operating, not in a piecemeal or fragmented manner, but with unity of purpose and a common strategic vision of peacekeeping. To ensure continued success, it is essential to preserve the identity of United Nations peacekeeping. What gives strength to the strategic vision is the strict observance of the Charter and the basic principles of United Nations peacekeeping, as also stressed by the representative of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement, whose statement my delegation fully supports. Implementation will also be enhanced if the mandates for peacekeeping operations are clear, credible and achievable, and if they are matched by appropriate resources. We are glad that the Council is committed to doing just that. Realities on the ground, not political expediencies, should guide the Council's decisions. Maintenance of international peace and security should be the objective and the main benchmark. When lives are at risk, that objective, not cost considerations, should drive peacekeeping. Overstretch of resources also results in implementation lag and overstretch of a mission's duration, which ultimately increases costs. Effective implementation also requires more meaningful and tangible partnership with the troop- contributing countries (TCCs), and we hope to see that happen as a result of this exercise. This partnership means not only enhanced dialogue and consultation but also adequate representation of the major TCCs at the leadership level in the field and, particularly, at Headquarters. That is the best way of ensuring coherence between those who design mandates and those who implement them. We would have liked to see this aspect properly reflected in the presidential statement. Collective burden-sharing requires greater participation by Member States in United Nations peacekeeping operations. I believe we should seriously pursue the two-way process of broadening the contributors' base with more developed countries and broadening the decision makers' base with more developing countries. Everyone should be fully in the loop. Without that, predictable capacities and credible actions cannot be ensured. Some cannot just monopolize the design, management, review and monitoring role, while the others are consigned to the implementation role. If we share the strategic vision of United Nations peacekeeping, we should also be willing to share the burden for its implementation. And we should be able to better explain why some of us, who have the capacity, are not willing to participate in United Nations peacekeeping operations but are there to advise how the job should be done. It is understandable that the Council reviews certain aspects of peacekeeping and opens up to other stakeholders with regard to its decision-making processes. That also makes sense in the context of improvement of the Council's working methods. However, such reviews cannot be Council-centric. The Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations has the mandate for the comprehensive review of the whole question of peacekeeping operations and is the right forum with the right expertise for that purpose. It must be fully utilized. More attention needs to be given to core issues, including the surge in demand and rapid deployment. The Council, for its part, should do what it can do best, that is, to evolve larger political consensus in support of peacekeeping, to promote political processes and to pursue comprehensive approaches for conflict prevention and resolution. It should accord priority to resolving inter-State conflicts alongside intra-State situations - which, by the way, consume most of the peacekeeping resources at present. And for the latter, there should be a fuller interface of peacekeeping and peacebuilding activities through early engagement of the Peacebuilding Commission when the peacekeepers are on ground. Lastly, for better implementation, we require continuity and coherence in the various reform proposals and other processes currently under way. As the leading troop contributor, Pakistan will carefully consider the recommendations of this debate and the Secretariat's non-paper entitled "A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for United Nations Peacekeeping", on which a fuller discussion may be desirable in the context of the wider reform process. Let me conclude by reaffirming Pakistan's continued support and strong commitment to the success of our collective peacekeeping efforts in the interest of world peace and security.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of South Africa.

Mr. Sangqu (South Africa): We congratulate the United Kingdom on its assumption of the presidency of the Security Council for the month of August and commend Uganda for having successfully steered the work of the Council during month of July. We welcome the opportunity to participate and share our views in the Council's debate on United Nations peacekeeping. South Africa aligns itself with the statement delivered by the representative of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We also thank the Under- Secretaries-General Le Roy and Malcorra and General Agwai for their briefings to the Council. This debate highlights once again the urgency of meaningfully and collectively addressing the complexities of peacekeeping today. Peacekeeping is one of the major means at the disposal of the United Nations to fulfil its mandate of maintaining international peace and security. The Charter of the United Nations clearly mandates the maintenance of international peace and security as the primary responsibility of the Organization, in particular of the Security Council. Despite some shortcomings and challenges, United Nations peacekeeping operations have played an important role in helping countries emerge from conflict, consolidate peace, maintain stability and engage in national reconstruction, especially on our continent of Africa. We hope this debate will contribute to enhancing and improving the effectiveness, efficiency and continued relevance of United Nations peacekeeping. We welcome the efforts of the Secretariat to review peacekeeping operations as outlined in its non-paper "A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for United Nations Peacekeeping". We hope that that non-paper, alongside other existing literature such as the Brahimi report (S/2000/809) and the 2010 reform agenda, will provide a basis for engaging in a meaningful discussion on the multifaceted challenges facing peacekeeping. In that regard, we would like to limit our focus to five key issues that we believe could chart a way forward on United Nations peacekeeping if given meaningful consideration. A comprehensive, coordinated and inclusive approach to improving the effectiveness of peacekeeping during the planning, in-theatre and exit stages of such operations should be enhanced. In order to achieve that, all key stakeholders, including the Security Council, troop-contributing countries and the Secretariat, must be thoroughly consulted and engaged. While the current mechanism for consultation, such as the Council's meetings with troop-contributing countries, have provided a forum for engagement, frequent and substantive interaction could prove useful. In that regard, South Africa would like to emphasize the critical contribution made by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, the General Assembly's Fifth Committee and other stakeholders in enhancing United Nations peacekeeping efforts. We also recognize the important work conducted by the Peacebuilding Commission in post-conflict societies. South Africa is of the View that burden-sharing is key to dealing with the complex challenges of peacekeeping. While many of us acknowledge the importance of our collective responsibility towards effective peacekeeping, that should be guided by political will and matched by actual actions on the ground. For that reason, we encourage the general membership of the United Nations to continue to generously contribute to all peacekeeping operations, with both personnel and equipment. South Africa supports ongoing United Nations efforts to strengthen its partnership and dialogue with relevant regional organizations, such as the African Union (AU) and the European Union, in the area of peacekeeping. We believe that those partnerships should be strengthened as they provide comparative advantages. In that context, we are encouraged by the ongoing partnership and cooperation between the AU and the United Nations, as recently witnessed in the cases of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur and the African Union Mission in Somalia, as well as continued cooperation between the AU Commission and United Nations Secretariat. The issue of flexible, predictable and sustainable resources for peacekeeping operations, especially as it relates to the African continent, is critical to peacekeeping. With the evolving complexity of modern peacekeeping, it is important to recognize the leading role that the African Union has played over recent years in the prevention, management and resolution of conflicts on the continent, in line with Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. Through various subregional and regional efforts, including in Burundi, Cote d'Ivoire and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the AU has shown how peacekeeping operations support the political settlement of disputes. All of that has happened despite the limited resources at the Union's disposal. Clearly, for those AU efforts to work and to contribute towards robust and successful United Nations peacekeeping operations, we need to seriously consider the issue of flexible, predictable and sustainable resources. In that regard, South Africa is encouraged by the Prodi report (see S/2008/813) and its recommendations, in particular its focus on the need for a strategic relationship and stronger coordination between the AU and United Nations. We hope that the report of the Secretary-General to be submitted in September will go beyond the recommendations outlined in the Prodi report and provide political space for advancing options for the financing of AU peacekeeping missions, including through assessed contributions. The Secretariat non-paper makes the important observation that peacekeeping is not always the right answer. My delegation concurs with that view and would agree that mediation and the peaceful settlement of disputes is far more cost-effective in terms of both resources and human life and should always be the first, best option to peacekeeping deployment. That would require that the United Nations re-energize its political machinery with full capacity and work hand in glove with regional and subregional organizations, focusing especially on enhancing early warning capacities. Our experience in the AU is that, with the establishment of the Peace and Security Council and the subregional initiatives mandated by the AU, we have utilized mediation to show that regional efforts are crucial to address regional conflicts. Subregional organizations, such as the Southern African Development Community, continue to deploy their mediation efforts in the resolution of conflicts in Zimbabwe and Madagascar. In that regard, regional and subregional organizations have a crucial role to play and have comparative advantage, mostly due to proximity. All our efforts have been anchored in the United Nations Charter, particularly Chapter VI, Article 33. Thus, mediation has become more important than ever before. Recognizing the challenges of multidimensional integrated peacekeeping,' South Africa supports efforts to effectively link peacekeeping with broad peacebuilding strategies. Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes, closely synchronized with the implementation of security sector reform (SSR), have become indispensable pillars of effective peacebuilding and also contribute to sustainable post-conflict reconstruction. However, we believe that the need for multidimensional peacekeeping operations should be viewed against the need for peacekeeping to focus on its core business. In that regard, my delegation wishes to reiterate that peacekeeping operations must be in consonance with the principles and purposes enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The principles of the consent of parties, the non-use of force except in self-defence, a clear and robust mandate and impartiality must be faithfully adhered to. The emphasis should also be on making full use of political processes and integrated functions, instead of a military function alone. In that way, a peacekeeping mission can help to maintain long-term goals in maintaining peace and security in its task area. South Africa also feels strongly that a robust mandate in peacekeeping should at all times ensure the adequate protection of human' and humanitarian rights, the protection of women and children in armed conflict and the protection of civilians, and should act resolutely against the perpetrators of rape and other forms of sexual violence against civilians. There must also be strict adherence to the policy of zero tolerance vis-a-vis United Nations peacekeepers. In conclusion, we remain convinced that peacekeeping is not an easy task and cannot be an end in itself. It has to be a tool towards the creation of better conditions for sustainable development and good governance. We will argue for an integrated approach that incorporates peacebuilding during the start-up of a peacekeeping operation. Those arrangements, in our view, could facilitate a smooth transition from peacekeeping to peacebuilding and might serve as a stimulus for participation in DDR and SSR in the post- conflict period. Finally, my delegation would like to reiterate its firm support for the cause of peacekeeping. We assure everyone of our cooperation in that regard. We will continue to work with others in taking concrete measures that advance global peace and stability.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of Argentina.

Mr. Arguello (Argentina) (spoke in Spanish): First, allow me to congratulate you, Sir, on your endeavours as President of the Security Council for the month of August and to thank you, above all, for convening this open debate on a subject to which my country attaches great importance. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to reiterate to you and, through you, to the other members of the Security Council the need for the Council to hold frequent open meetings so as to allow all Members of the Organization to express their opinions and to interact with the Council members. Likewise, I would like to thank Ms. Susana Malcorra and Mr. Alain Le Roy for their briefings this morning, which we followed with great attention. The United Nations is the foundation of the international collective security system, which, as stated in the Preamble of the Charter, was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and, to that end, to unite our strength to maintain international peace and security. However, to mitigate the non-functioning of the mechanisms intended to carry out that purpose it was necessary to create peacekeeping operations. Since 1948, peacekeeping operations have become one of the Organization's most effective tools for fulfilling its mandate, which is why my country considers that, in their various forms, they continue to be a valid and essential tool to maintain and strengthen international peace and security. At the same time, we believe that, ultimately, the Organization's success will be proved the day its presence, in particular through the deployment of peacekeeping operations, is no longer necessary. Mindful of that objective, my country particularly values the efforts being made in various areas of the Organization to strengthen its capacity to deploy peacekeeping operations as well as to improve the coordination of activities on the ground. Likewise, my country believes that the French-British initiative regarding the Council and the concepts set out in the New Horizon non-paper contribute valuable elements for consideration in the debate on the future of peacekeeping operations. There is a consensus among States Members of the Organization regarding the need to strengthen the capacity of the United Nations to advance peacekeeping operations. There is also agreement that peacekeeping operations are not and cannot be a sole solution applicable to all conflict situations. If the Organization is to be more effective in its action, we must refine the tools that we have been using for the past 50 years. We must incorporate elements that will enable us to more precisely measure progress in the implementation of mandates. What is more, we must establish peacekeeping operations with a clear plan setting out successive stages that will enable us to lay the groundwork for an exit strategy and avoid precipitous withdrawal, which could oblige us to return later and remain indefinitely on the ground. We must act bearing in mind the need to strengthen local institutions so that local authorities can assume responsibility for their own security at the appropriate time. Here, it is important to recognize the fact that, nearly 10 years after it was issued, the Brahimi report (S/2000/809) remains valid. We should recall that among its principal recommendations is the necessity that mandates be appropriate and realistic and that they include provisions for the security of personnel and civilians, with solid rules of engagement. Sufficient financing for operations and the centrality of training of personnel continue to be absolutely essential factors. In that regard, I wish to emphasize that, in Argentina at the national level, we have two training centres for personnel participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations - one for police officers and the other for military personnel. Likewise, in 2007, convinced of the need to strengthen cooperation in the training of personnel participating in peacekeeping operations, we established a network in the region comprising the training centres of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru and Uruguay. In addition, my country believes that in order to improve the effectiveness of United Nations action, it is necessary to improve the communication and coordination between the members of the Security Council, who formulate the mandates of peacekeeping operations, and the Secretariat and the troop- and police-contributing countries, which must carry out those mandates on the ground. Argentina is a member of the Group of Friends of Haiti, together with other countries in the region and various members of the Council. The Group of Friends of Haiti is a clear example of the importance of this kind of informal mechanisms. By considering the draft resolutions that, inter alia, renew the mandate of the mission in Haiti, the Group helps to maintain the support of Member States for the mission, ensuring both the continuity of efforts and the unity of objectives. Permit me to conclude by highlighting the fact that in 2008 my country celebrated 50 years of uninterrupted participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations. Currently, nearly 900 troops deployed in six missions throughout the world continue to demonstrate Argentina's clear commitment to the maintenance of international peace and security.

The President: I now call on the representative of Nigeria.

Mrs. ngu (Nigeria): I thank you, Mr. President, and the delegation of the United Kingdom for initiating this timely discussion on United Nations peacekeeping operations and for the valuable ideas and insights contained in the concept paper. Under-Secretaries- General Mr. Alain Le Roy and Ms. Susana Malcorra and General Martin Agwai have enriched the debate with their invaluable statements, and we are grateful to them. Representing a major troop contributor with an unflinching commitment to United Nations peacekeeping, the Nigerian delegation welcomes the intensified and concerted efforts to address the major challenges confronting United Nations peacekeeping operations. We appreciate the efforts of the Security Council towards sustained dialogue, oversight and evaluation with regard to peacekeeping operations. We also acknowledge the New Horizon non-paper, an insightful and reflective work calling for further appraisal and the unrelenting engagement of all stakeholders. The Nigerian delegation believes that reform of United Nations peacekeeping is inevitable, given its rapid expansion, complexity and multidimensional scope. However, such reform must be anchored in concrete actions that address the problems of inadequate logistics, lack of political will and insufficient funding. It must also address gaps in mandates, fluid exit strategies and the imprecise relationship among the troop-contributing countries, the Secretariat and the Security Council. Indeed, the protection and welfare of peacekeepers should be at the core of such efforts. Even more significant, reform must preserve the fundamental guiding principles on the basis of which peacekeeping, as a tool for the preservation of international peace and security, was developed. Nigeria underscores the importance of enhanced and transparent triangular cooperation among the Security Council, the troop-contributing countries (TCCS) and the Secretariat. While the responsibility for planning and mandating operations lies with the Council, the TCCs must be active participants in the planning, review, drawdown and closure of operations. Indeed, they should be involved in the determination and review of mandates. Today, it has become increasingly necessary to broaden the base of United Nations peacekeeping operations. In that regard, my delegation believes that Member States should not only cultivate, but also demonstrate, greater political will to share the burden of peacekeeping operations, particularly the provision oflogistics and personnel. Peacekeeping and peacebuilding are coterminous. As the Council mandates a peacekeeping operation, it should also establish a peacebuilding mission as a vital component of a well-conceived exit strategy. No less critical is the strengthening of international, regional and local conflict resolution mechanisms, particularly the mediation mechanism advocated in the Prodi report. Indeed, peacekeeping must be complemented by predictable funding, unrelenting political bargaining and social and economic reconstruction. The reform efforts should also be directed at strengthening the relationship between the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States and other subregional bodies on the continent. Nigeria unequivocally supports the protection of civilians in all peacekeeping situations and calls for the provision of adequate logistics capacity, including air power and information, to discharge that responsibility effectively. Perhaps the time is ripe for a robust approach to United Nations peacekeeping. Robust peacekeeping means more than an enforcement mandate under Chapter VII of the Charter. It implies the total and unimpeded commitment of resources and a credible demonstration of political will to ensure the success of all operations.

The President: I call next on the representative of Thailand.

Mrs. Chaimongkol (Thailand): Allow me to congratulate you, Mr. President, upon your assumption of the Council presidency for the month of August and for convening this timely debate on United Nations peacekeeping operations. My appreciation also goes to your predecessor, the Permanent Representative of Uganda, for his leadership as the President of the Council for the month of July. The debate today is very important and relevant, as United Nations peacekeeping operations are at present facing many critical challenges, having to do more with less while operating in conflicts whose natures and environments are changing rapidly and becoming more demanding. My delegation would like to thank Mr. Alain Le Roy, Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations, and Ms. Susana Malcorra, Under- Secretary-General for Field Support, for their comprehensive briefings today and for the non-paper "A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for United Nations Peacekeeping", which highlights a number of important points and provides valuable recommendations for Member States to deliberate. My delegation would also like to thank General Martin Luther Agwai, Force Commander of the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, for his insightful briefing today and for his leadership on the ground. Thailand associates itself with the statement made by the delegation of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement. We would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few points that, we believe, merit serious consideration. First, there is a strong need to establish a better and more effective coordinating system within the United Nations system for peacekeeping operations. Thailand is of the view that regular and inclusive dialogue between the Council and relevant stakeholders, especially the troop-contributing countries (TCCs), before and throughout the deployment process - from the drafting of the mandate to the exit and termination of the operation - is necessary to ensure credibility of a mandate and success of a peacekeeping operation. Thailand appreciates the effort of the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, led by Japan, to reach out and seek views of various stakeholders on the current state of peacekeeping operations. Secondly, Thailand supports the ongoing evolution of peacekeeping towards an operation more integrated in outlook and mandate, which would enable operations to effectively combine both peacekeeping and peacebuilding elements and bridge the critical gap between cessation of fighting and durable peace. In this connection, there should be greater emphasis on sustainable peace, security and development as well as on national ownership, with a clear strategy for a seamless transition. United Nations peacekeeping can contribute tremendously to the early recovery of a country in the aftermath of conflict. Capitalizing on its presence in the early stage of a peace process, it can help to bring about safety and security, support political processes and energize economic recovery, which will lead to a quick and smooth transition into the peacebuilding phase. Early engagement in peacebuilding activity is a window of opportunity to restore livelihoods, create an atmosphere of trust and confidence and bring about sustainable peace. In short, peacekeepers can be early peacebuilders. Thirdly, effective partnerships between the United Nations and regional organizations are vital. Cooperation between the United Nations and regional organizations should be mutually reinforcing to achieve a win-win situation for all partners. In many cases, regional organizations have comparative advantages and better understanding of challenges in their respective regions. The United Nations could help strengthen the capacity of regional organizations so that they can better support the United Nations peacekeeping operations in their regions. The blue beret of United Nations peacekeepers has become an iconic image of the United Nations in the eyes of peoples around the world. The success and dedication of courageous men and women under the United Nations flag in various conflict zones have given the ideals and principles of the United Nations Charter a real and tangible meaning. Thailand - as a strong and consistent supporter of United Nations peacekeeping for decades and as a country that has put our peacekeepers under the United Nations flag in various missions - has a stake in the evolution and reform of United Nations peacekeeping. Therefore we will closely and with interest follow the discussions on this issue, on various tracks, and look forward to actively contributing to the process.

The President: I now give the floor to the representative of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.

Mr. Ovales-Santos (Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) (spoke in Spanish): I would like to thank you, Mr. President, for organizing this debate on peacekeeping operations. Our delegation associates itself with the statement made earlier on this issue on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Venezuela would like to highlight some aspects that have already been mentioned but which are nonetheless important and essential for the preservation of the credibility and legitimacy of an instrument set out in the United Nations Charter for international peace and security. First of all, United Nations peacekeeping operations must not be a substitute by which to avoid the need to address the real causes of conflicts. On various occasions, international conflicts are fermented by actors whose interests are foreign to those of the parties involved, interests certainly linked to the real powers running the global industrial war machine. For the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, it is essential that in conducting peacekeeping operations, the purposes and principles enshrined in the United Nations Charter be strictly observed and that peacekeeping be guided by its basic principles: the consent of the parties involved, non-use of force except in legitimate defence, and impartiality. The introduction of the concept of defence in the mandate should not be placed on the same level as that of the three guiding principles, as its application is limited to operational and tactical levels. We also agree with NAM's understanding concerning respect for the principles of sovereignty, political independence and the territorial integrity of all States and non-interference in matters that are essentially of internal jurisdiction. Such understanding must be maintained. We also agree with the Movement that United Nations peacekeeping operations must from the outset enjoy the necessary support in terms of resources. They especially need credibility in the authorized mandates, which depends on their clarity and feasibility. We are convinced of the need to unify all initiatives and processes to ensure continuity in one coherent direction towards peace. Lastly, like other delegations, we believe that the role of the committee is extremely important. Here it is essential that the recommendations and measures adopted by the General Assembly and its Special Committee charged with reviewing all aspects of peacekeeping operations have a greater impact in the Security Council and the Secretariat, which will benefit the collective goals needed to achieve peace.

The President: I give the floor to our final speaker, the Permanent Representative of Nepal.

Mr. Acharya (Nepal): As the last speaker, I would like to congratulate you, Mr. President, on your assumption of the presidency of the Council for this month and to welcome your initiative on this timely debate on peacekeeping operations. I would also like to thank the Under-Secretaries-General, Mr. Le Roy and Ms. Malcorra, for their valuable presentations on the subject this morning. As a troop-contributing country, Nepal attaches strong significance to matters related to peacekeeping operations, especially the strengthening of operational and managerial efficiency in the context of the challenges and strains presented by the increasingly complex environments that these operations are facing. Peacekeeping is a dynamic concept and a tool for maintaining international peace and security and resolving conflicts, as well as a strategy for filling gaps in failed or failing States and transitional societies. The current practice of doctrine, mandating, budgeting for and supporting peacekeeping operations and their links to peacebuilding clearly needs a strategic review. In this context, we welcome the New Horizon and Support Strategy non-papers as the fastest steps towards discussion and building broader consensus on the way forward to effective, efficient and prudent peacekeeping operations. Peacekeeping is an endeavour carried out in partnership among the Security Council, finance and troop contributors, regional organizations and the host country. We are pleased that the new non-paper has been designated "A New Partnership Agenda". This presents a new opportunity to strengthen peacekeeping operations in the face of new challenges, especially since a comprehensive review was made as recently as 2000 in the Brahimi report (S/2000/809). Some of the core recommendations of that report - concerning, inter alia, the need for political support and strategic direction, rapid deployment and standby arrangements, operational planning and support, the need for robust doctrine, realistic mandates and practical rules of engagement, improved mission guidance and leadership and the need to involve troop-contributing countries in important decisions - are still valid and should continue to be implemented even in the face of current challenges. Similarly, the steps outlined in Peace Operations 2010 - especially in the five key areas of personnel, doctrine, partnerships, resources and organization - remain important and should be implemented. It is a fact that even after 60 years of experience, we are conducting every peacekeeping mission from scratch, dealing with each mission separately, giving each a separate budget and having to jump over the same old hurdles each time. This situation can certainly be improved with streamlined, anticipatory budgeting, operational flexibility between different missions and broadened planning horizons for existing and new missions. Peacekeeping cannot succeed without meaningful engagement and involvement of troop- and police- contributing countries every step of the way, including in planning, mandating and determining political strategy. Troop contributors should be given operational flexibility and involvement in developing rules of engagement according to individual situations. The increasing demands of deployment experienced by troop contributors, particularly with regard to the complex logistical requirements of contingent-owned equipment, could be remedied by providing to the troop contributors support for contingent equipment and training. Missions should also be equipped with matching resources, commensurate with the tasks in the field. Mandates should be clear, unambiguous and achievable. The transition from peacekeeping and peacebuilding to socio-economic development is very important. We welcome the recent report of the Secretary-General (S/2009/304), which highlights key challenges in peacebuilding, including the need for national ownership, international leadership and coherent support and delivery. The same should apply to peacekeeping operations as well. There is a need to improve recruitment and retention of qualified people in order to reduce the high vacancy rates in missions, as well as the modalities of partnerships with regional organizations. While the current practice of holding thematic debates on issues such as the protection of women and children, the protection of civilians, rule of law, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration, security sector reform, transitional justice and the role of regional cooperation is important, these subjects cannot be treated in isolation and should be built into a comprehensive strategy. In conclusion, I would like to stress that during the review process, the core values of United Nations peacekeeping operations - such as adherence to the Charter, consent of the parties, non-interference in the affairs of sovereign States, non-use of force except in self-defence, and security and safety of personnel - should be strictly applied. Such principles should not be compromised even in the context of robust peacekeeping operations.

The President: I thank all those who have contributed to this very full debate today. Thank you very much for your participation and above all for the continued attendance and focus that the Under- Secretaries-General have applied throughout the day. After consultations among members of the Security Council, I have been authorized to make the following rather long statement on behalf of the Council. I quote: "The Security Council reaffirms the recommendations made in its resolutions 1327 (2000) and 1353 (2001) and in the statements of its President dated 3 May 1994 (S/PRST/ 1994/22), 4 November 1994 (S/PRST/1994/62), 28 March 1996 (S/PRST/l996/13), 31 January 2001 (S/PRST/2001/3) and 17 May 2004 (S/PRST/2004/16) and the note by its President of 14 January 2002 (S/2002/56) and confirms its intention to strengthen further efforts to implement fully these recommendations. The Council recalls in particular from its statement of its President of 3 May 1994 the appropriate factors that should be taken into account when the establishment of a new peacekeeping operation is under consideration. "The Security Council believes that United Nations peacekeeping is a unique global partnership that draws together the contributions and commitment of the entire United Nations system. The Council is committed to strengthening this partnership. The Council recognizes the important work conducted by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, the Security Council Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations, the Fifth Committee of the General Assembly and the United Nations Secretariat to ensure that peacekeeping efforts provide the best possible results. "The Security Council has endeavoured in the past six months to improve its dialogue with the Secretariat and with troop- and police- contributing countries on the collective oversight of peacekeeping operations and to develop the following practices: (i) Regular dialogue with the Secretariat on the general challenges of peacekeeping; (ii) Efforts to deepen consultations with troop- and police-contributing countries, including through the Security Council's Working Group on Peacekeeping Operations and the debates organized on 23 January and 29 June 2009; (iii) Organization of political-military meetings on specific operations to improve the shared analysis of operational challenges; (iv) Encouraging regular updating of planning documents by the Secretariat to ensure consistency with mandates; (v) Improved monitoring and evaluation, through the use of benchmarks, as and where appropriate, that enable progress to be charted against a comprehensive and integrated strategy. "The Security Council has identified several areas where further reflection is required to improve the preparation, planning, monitoring and evaluation, and completion of peacekeeping operations: (i) Ensuring that mandates for peacekeeping operations are clear, credible and achievable and matched by appropriate resources. The Council stresses the need 09-44473 regularly to assess, in consultation with other stakeholders, the strength, mandate and composition of peacekeeping operations with a view to making the necessary adjustments where appropriate, according to progress achieved or changing circumstances on the ground; (ii) Better information sharing, particularly on the military operational challenges, through, inter alia, systematic consultation by the Secretariat with Member States in advance of deployment of a technical assessment mission on its objectives and broad parameters and debriefing on its main findings on return. The Council encourages the practice of holding meetings between Council members and the Secretariat at political-military expert level prior to discussion of mandate renewals. The Council recognizes the need to improve its access to military advice, and intends to pursue its work on mechanisms to that effect. The Council will continue to review the role of the Military Staff Committee; (iii) The Council intends to increase its interaction with the Secretariat in the early phase of mandate drafting and throughout mission deployment on the military, police, justice, rule of law and peacebuilding dimensions of an operation; (iv) Earlier and more meaningful engagement with troop- and police- contributing countries before the renewal or modification of the mandate of a peacekeeping operation. The Council welcomes practical suggestions to deepen such consultations. It recognizes that through their experience and expertise, troop- and police-contributing countries can greatly contribute to effective planning, decision-making and deployment of peacekeeping operations. In this regard, the Council welcomes the interim report of the Security Council Working Group (S/2009/398) and encourages it to continue to address the issue of cooperation with troop- and police-contributing countries and other stakeholders. The Council commits to making progress on this issue, and to reviewing its progress in 2010; (v) Greater awareness in the Security Council of the resource and field support implications of its decisions. The Council requests that where a new peacekeeping mission is proposed, or where significant change to a mandate is envisaged, an estimate of the resource implications for the mission be provided to it; (vi) Enhanced awareness in the Security Council of the strategic challenges faced across peacekeeping operations. The Council welcomes the briefings to that effect received from the Department for Peacekeeping Operations and the Department of Field Support since January 2009, which should continue on a regular basis. "The Council recognizes the need to weigh the full range of responses when addressing a situation which may endanger international peace and security, and to deploy United Nations peacekeeping missions only as an accompaniment, not as an alternative, to a political strategy. The Council recognizes the importance of mobilizing and maintaining the political and operational support of all stakeholders. "The Security Council recognizes the urgent need to increase the pool of available troop and police contributors and welcomes efforts of Member States to coordinate bilateral assistance to them. The Council supports efforts to improve cooperation and coordination through the life of a mission with relevant regional and subregional organizations and other partners. The Council recognizes the priority of strengthening the capacity of the African Union, and the role of regional and subregional organizations, in maintaining international peace and security in accordance with Chapter VIII of the United Nations Charter. "The Security Council welcomes efforts by the Secretariat to review peacekeeping operations and to provide enhanced planning and support, and encourages the Secretariat to deepen these efforts. In this regard, the Council takes note of the assessments and recommendations provided 24 in their non-paper 'A New Partnership Agenda: Charting a New Horizon for United Nations Peacekeeping' and the support strategy contained therein, and intends to give them careful consideration. "The Security Council recognizes that further debate is required among Member States, including in the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations, to develop a wider consensus on a range of issues, including the robust approach to peacekeeping and the implementation of protection of civilians mandates. The Council reaffirms the relevant provisions of its resolution 1674 (2006), and in this regard, looks forward to reviewing the implementation of protection of civilians mandates later this year. "The Security Council recalls the statement of its President of 22 July 2009 (S/PRST/2009/23) on peacebuilding and in particular re-emphasizes the need for coherence between, and integration of, peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and development to achieve an effective response to post-conflict situations from the outset. The Council requests the Secretary-General to provide in his reports on specific missions an indication of progress towards achieving a coordinated United Nations approach in-country, and in particular on critical gaps to achieving peacebuilding objectives alongside the mission. "The Security Council remains committed to improving further the overall performance of United Nations peacekeeping and will conduct a further review in early 2010." This statement will be issued as a document of the Security Council under the symbol S/PRST/2009/24. There are no further speakers inscribed on my list. The Security Council has thus concluded the present stage of its consideration of the item on its agenda. The meeting rose at 5.15 p.m.