Belgium, 2007

We

live in an increasingly complex world of ever more

diverse challenges. Actions taken in isolation are no

longer enough. Given such complexity, the United

Nations should not only be a bulwark against arbitrary

actions in international relations but also, above all, the

vehicle for effective responses. I am pleased to note

that there is growing consensus on this issue.

Climate change was the topic of a recent high-

level event. A Security Council summit meeting has

just addressed the situation in Africa. In addition to

peace and international security, the United Nations

must also tackle a wide array of issues. The fight

against terrorism, pandemics, human rights,

disarmament, migration and the environment are

examples of the diverse subjects requiring a

multilateral approach.

Multilateralism has been reinvigorated, especially

in the areas of peacekeeping and security. The current

18 peacekeeping missions and the 100,000 Blue

Helmets now in the field clearly attest to that. Belgium

has witnessed that evolution up close since becoming a

member of the Security Council at the beginning of

2007. We shall continue to strengthen multilateralism

in that body.

In Africa, working through the United Nations,

the international community has been actively engaged

in the search for solutions to the issues of Darfur,

Chad, the Central African Republic, the Democratic

Republic of Congo and Côte d’Ivoire.

The efforts of the United Nations Organization

Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

(MONUC) have been crucial to re-establishing peace

and setting up democratic institutions in that country.

Now is not the time to scale back our efforts. The

tenuous situation in the eastern part of the Democratic

Republic of the Congo and the resumption of fighting

in North Kivu pose serious risks to the process of

stabilizing the country. They also have tragic

humanitarian consequences. Moreover, the scourge of

the recruitment of child soldiers takes on new

proportions. As pointed out by the Secretary-General,

we urgently need a global solution, including a

regional dimension that will allow us to make better

use of MONUC’s input. While the Congolese

authorities are preparing for local elections, which will

strengthen democratic culture across the country, they

need our full support. Belgium will continue to

mobilize the attention of the international community

on this important matter.

In Sudan, it is imperative that we make progress

in our search for a political solution for Darfur. I

encourage all parties to take advantage of the Tripoli

conference in order to identify the elements of the

conflict, such as the distribution of resources and

power-sharing, and to establish the foundation for a

lasting settlement. We need to speed up the deployment

of the peacekeeping force, with the full cooperation of

the Sudanese Government. Moreover, we will have to

continue to consolidate reconciliation between north

and south of the country.

Furthermore, the role of regional organizations in

managing crises has significantly increased over the

past year. The African Union has invested its efforts,

both in Somalia and in Darfur, where new ways of

cooperation with the United Nations are developing.

The hybrid force is an example of this new form of

cooperation.

As for the European Union, it has supported

MONUC’s efforts in the Democratic Republic of the

Congo. It will also contribute to curbing the

humanitarian crisis in Chad and in the Central African

Republic by sending a military force to support the

United Nations missions in the region. Belgium will

participate in this effort. The European Union has also

developed a close cooperation with the African Union

by supporting its efforts in crisis management, while

paying close attention to the strengthening of its

effectiveness. On the whole, we welcome this regional

input and the increasing synergies among the United

Nations, the African Union and the European Union.

Regarding Kosovo, it is, on the other hand,

regrettable that the Security Council was unable last

June to assume its responsibility on a matter for which

the solution is essential for peace and stability in

Europe. I urge both parties to seize this present

opportunity to come to a compromise. This is a matter

of urgency. The status quo is not an option, as we are

all aware. Absent an agreement between the parties,

Europe will then have to shoulder its responsibilities.

In the Middle East, the international community

has mobilized in order to contribute to a solution to the

crisis in Lebanon. By extending for one year the

mandate of the United Nations Interim Force in

Lebanon (UNIFIL), in which Belgium participates with

close to 400 troops, it has recognized UNIFIL’s role in

the solution of the crisis.

But the current political stalemate is alarming. All

parties should demonstrate a sense of responsibility.

The institutions should be allowed to function normally

again, beginning with the election of the president in

accordance with the constitutional process, in the

assigned timetable and without foreign interference.

The latest attack that claimed the lives of member of

Parliament Antoine Ghanem and nine other people

shows how impunity threatens the stability of the

country. The establishment of the Special Tribunal for

Lebanon is clear evidence of the support that the

multilateral system is willing to provide to the fight

against this impunity.

In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, neither the

continuation of firing rockets at the Israeli population,

nor the deterioration of the living conditions of

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, is acceptable. Regular

meetings between the Palestinian and Israeli leaders

constitute an encouraging development after so many

years of misunderstanding and lack of true dialogue. I

hope that these steps will be bear fruit at the

international meeting slated for before the end of this

year. Belgium actively supports any progress in the

peace process.

The Security Council has recently reinforced the

mandate of the United Nations in Iraq. The United

Nations can, in fact, play an important role in

humanitarian emergency matters, in regional

cooperation and in national reconciliation. But its

action will depend on the security conditions and will

have to be able to rely truly on the support of the

international community, the Iraqi Government and the

neighbouring countries, as expressed at the

22 September meeting.

In dealing with the nuclear issue in Iran, Belgium

has, from the outset, supported a multilateral approach.

We have to resolutely use the multilateral mechanisms

such as the International Atomic Energy Agency

(IAEA) and the Security Council, in order to obtain

tangible results. In the past, Iran has not fulfilled its

obligations regarding the transparency of its nuclear

activities. In order to restore confidence and to make

the best use of the objective verification capacities of

the IAEA, Iran will have to fully respect the

regulations of the Comprehensive Safeguards

Agreement and the Additional Protocol. However, the

measures prescribed in Security Council resolutions go

beyond those regulations and aim at creating the

conditions for restoring international confidence in the

Iranian nuclear programme. Complete and immediate

compliance with these resolutions by Iran is a

condition to resume the dialogue that had to be

interrupted in 2005. The credibility of the Security

Council is also at stake.

In Asia, the mission of good offices of the

Secretary-General has made it possible for us to follow

closely the situation in Myanmar. The latest

demonstrations show the determination of the

population and should finally incite the Government to

initiate an inclusive dialogue with a view to restoring

democracy in Myanmar. Use of violence will not be

tolerated.

Beyond crisis resolution, progress has also been

made in the area of peacebuilding. The international

community must remain vigilant. The cost of leaving a

country too quickly is always higher than investing in

peacebuilding. The true success of the Peacebuilding

Commission will be judged by the long-term stability

of the countries currently on its agenda, namely,

Burundi and Sierra Leone.

The recent adoption of concrete recommendations

following the deterioration of the political situation in

Burundi illustrates its increasing capacity to react

quickly to events that could jeopardize the stabilization

of the countries with which it is dealing. In Burundi,

the dialogue must definitely be pursued in order to

solve the political stalemate, which impedes the normal

functioning of the State’s institutions. Every effort

must be made in order to bring the Forces nationales de

libération (FNL) back to constructive negotiations with

the Government as soon as possible.

Three of the most recent and expensive

peacekeeping operations have been deployed in

countries where conflicts were fuelled by the illegal

exploitation of natural resources, namely, the

Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia and Sierra

Leone. That clearly illustrates the urgent need to

develop mechanisms that break the link between the

illegal exploitation of natural resources and conflict.

This issue was the central theme of our

presidency of the Security Council last June. We

identified several courses of action. For example, we

must reinforce the capacity of the Secretariat to deal

with such issues; define more precisely, as necessary,

the mandates of peacekeeping operations; cause the

sanctions committees to operate in a more targeted

manner; and consolidate the methods of the work of

experts groups. In the coming months, it is our

intention to pursue our efforts in these areas, which

relate to both security and development. We hope that

we can rely on the support of Member States.

Our attention to crisis management and

peacebuilding must not diminish the importance that

we accord to preventive diplomacy. I welcome the

initiatives of the Secretary-General in this area, such as

strengthening United Nations mediation capacities and

upgrading the mandates concerning prevention of

genocide and mass atrocities and concerning

responsibility to protect. We also have to make this

concept operational.

Conflict affects civilian populations long after the

end of hostilities. The prevention of conflict should not

overlook human security. That is why our country is

working to promote an international instrument on

cluster bombs; that is why it supports negotiations on a

treaty on arms trafficking, and that is also why we are

pursuing action against the recruitment and use of child

soldiers.

Crisis prevention also entails development.

Everyone should have the opportunity to choose his or

her way in life with dignity. The alternative is

frustration that often leads only to violence. The

Millennium Development Goals and the fight against

poverty therefore remain a major challenge.

In this context, Belgium pays special attention to

good governance. Last March, in cooperation with the

World Bank and the Organization for Economic Co-

operation and Development, we organized in Brussels

an international conference on good governance and

the fight against corruption. That conference illustrated

the potential in this area — triangular partnerships

among donor countries, recipient countries and the

private sector — which needs to be explored, including

within the United Nations.

Poverty also forces many migrants to leave their

country, having no other choice. In July 2007, Belgium

organized, in the presence of the Secretary-General, the

first Global Forum on Migration and Development.

That was a new opportunity to demonstrate our firm

multilateral commitment. It emerged that legal

migration can be an opportunity for both the countries

of origin and the countries of destination. In addition,

with good cooperation between the countries involved,

development can also foster migration by choice rather

than by necessity. Belgium will contribute to the

follow-up of this initiative with the Philippines, which

will organize the second Global Forum in 2008.

Human rights are one of the pillars of our

collective security. We must ensure respect for those

rights under all circumstances. That is why in 2005 we

emphasized the need for in-depth reform of the former

Commission on Human Rights. At this stage, however,

I regretfully note that the new Human Rights Council

does not meet our expectations. An institutional

agreement that was reached between the members of

the Human Rights Council in Geneva in June came at

the expense of difficult concessions. The capacity of

the Council to react promptly to human rights

violations will thus be compromised.

Multilateralism is back. Nevertheless, it is only a

method, not an end in itself, and this method can be

disappointing if it does not bring results. We therefore

need an instrument that will animate multilateralism

and adapt the United Nations to the current

environment. Achieving our common objectives

depends on developing a modern organization that is

well adapted, well equipped and well managed. We

will therefore need to consolidate the bases for a

responsible and professional Secretariat.

System-wide coherence in the United Nations is

also indispensable from this standpoint. In order to

foster coherence of development activities by the

United Nations in the field, the current reform effort

has as its main objective to reinforce its efficiency for

the benefit of developing countries.

After years of discussion, it is unfortunate that we

have not been able to make progress on the

indispensable reform of the Security Council. We

undoubtedly need a new working method that would

allow us to get the technical working group out of New

York, where it is bogged down, and to involve the

capitals and the political levels more. I therefore

suggest appointing a high-level special envoy for

Security Council reform, who would be responsible for

leading these consultations and for presenting us with a

proposal.

As far as I am concerned, my clear preference

goes to a formula that would consist initially of an

addition of new, semi-permanent seats, without

modifying the current balance between permanent and

non-permanent members. Later on, permanent

members would accept to give up their right of veto.

The United Nations must serve the general

interest of the community of Member States, as well as

of the populations they represent. The United Nations

will succeed only if those States manage to transcend

the sum of their particular interests. It is the shared

responsibility of each of us to display the necessary

vision in order to put our Organization in the service of

the common good.