Slovenia, 2014

Slovenia is among the vast

majority in the international community that desire and

strive for a lasting peace. However, the precondition

for that is the peaceful resolution of all disputes. The

United Nations was founded mainly to serve precisely

that purpose, and that goal has often been achieved.

Within the contemporary international community,

the United Nations remains a very important tool for

maintaining and strengthening world peace.

However, contrary to the Charter of the United

Nations, force is still being used in today’s world.

There is even a strong feeling that, owing to new

circumstances, the existing architecture of the United

Nations — and above all the Security Council — is

failing in that fundamental role. Long ago, a debate

began on the reforms that were needed, but thus far, it

seems to have resulted in no decisive changes.

Hence, a sense of uncertainty about future

stability and peace is gaining ground among the

peace-oriented States of international community.

If the United Nations is not reformed so that it can

successfully cope with international conflicts, it risks

being sidelined. Increasingly, deadlocks in the Security

Council — which have sometimes come about for good

reasons, but sometimes not — are taken as an excuse

for resolving conflicts by force and without a United

Nations mandate. If that trend continues, it may lead

to the breakdown in the contemporary political and

security architecture. It is our common task to remedy

such problems rapidly, thoroughly and by consensus,

especially with regard to the functioning of the United

Nations and the Security Council; otherwise, it may be

too late.

I suppose we all agree that a reformed and effective

Security Council is needed, with its permanent

members exercising their powers responsibly and in

accordance with international law and the Charter of

the United Nations. We have to use this opportunity

to rethink the international security architecture,

improve our capacity to prevent and resolve conflicts

and reclaim our shared values and principles, which

are enshrined in the Charter. With numerous ongoing

conflicts around the world, we will have to do so before

international peace is undermined.

I cannot deny that, at times, in the absence of

other means, specific circumstances may compel the

international community to maintain peace by the use

of force. Sometimes it is so. Nevertheless, a United

Nations mandate is essential to ensure credibility,

at least in principle. If, however, intervening without

a United Nations mandate becomes the principle, the

world will certainly arrive at a point where an arbitrary

action may trigger a conflict of broad dimensions.

I think there are no moral grounds for such risky

behaviour.

A comprehensive United Nations approach is

also needed to address the global threat emerging in

the broader Middle East and North Africa: the threat

of terrorism, extremism and a militant radicalism that

is distinctively different in its strategic approach and

methods of operation. We all have to condemn that

threat in the strongest terms and fight against it in a

concerted manner, bearing in mind the framework of

the mandate given by the Security Council. Because

of the importance I accord to the Security Council, I

would like to reiterate my support for Security Council

resolution 2174 (2014) adopted two days ago, which was

endorsed by more than 100 States.

Although the debate on the reform of the Security

Council has been going on for decades now, it has

recently become especially relevant. My country,

Slovenia, is committed to contributing to that debate to

the greatest extent possible.

Let me finish by saying that, while the vision of a

world of peace may remain unfulfilled, the ideals that

led to the establishment of the United Nations almost

70 years ago and the need to preserve our humanity

remain. Let us pool our resources and ideas. Let us exert

leadership, make the necessary reforms and recommit

to the principles of the Charter of the United Nations.

Let us re-establish dialogue and rebuild the trust we

need so much. That is the only way forward to maintain

global order on the basis of international law and leave

a lasting legacy to the people and nations of this world.