Mexico, 2005

During the past year, we, the Member States, embarked

upon a reform process without precedent in the history

of our Organization. The international community

became fully aware of the need to transform the United

Nations in order better to meet the threats and

challenges of our time. Although significant progress

was made, we have not yet achieved the expected

goals.

The political and intellectual contributions put

forth by the High-level Panel on Threats, Challenges

and Change, the Secretary-Generalís Report ìIn larger

freedomî (A/59/2005), the United Nations Millennium

Project report and the input provided by the Group of

Friends for the Reform of the United Nations are,

among others, important efforts that have guided our

discussions aimed at defining the future of our

Organization. Now, our task is to take stock of the

lessons learned, of the good and the bad, in order to

make this sixtieth session the year of the United

Nations reform.

The outcome document adopted by heads of State

and Government during this summit is a point of

departure. It is not yet the final result. It should be seen

as the architecture that will lead us in the building of

the new United Nations. It is crucial that we keep the

reform momentum alive and implement as soon as

possible the changes demanded by the international

community and our Governments.

In Mexicoís opinion, there are three key aspects

among the lessons learned that need to be taken into

consideration during the work of this sixtieth session of

the General Assembly.

First, reform of the system must be

comprehensive. It will be very damaging, futile and

inadequate if we decide to sacrifice a comprehensive

approach by focusing our efforts on just one aspect of

the reform. A great deal of the frustration stemming

from the summitís outcome occurred because of the

extensive attention and time given to reform of the

Security Council. We cannot deny the importance of

this issue, but we should not hold the whole reform

process hostage to the exclusive discussion of one

single item.

Throughout the long days of discussion prior to

the summit, it became evident that the issues which

aroused interest and triggered concern were those such

as human rights, development, the fight against

terrorism, the environment, the social agenda and

management reform. It is much clearer today than it

was two weeks ago that the United Nations inevitably

needs to make simultaneous headway on those issues

of priority for the international community.

Secondly, the most effective means of advancing

the reform process lies in genuine negotiations open to

all interested States, with agreed timelines for both

adoption and implementation of the commitments

reached. All delegations witnessed that, in the last

three weeks prior to the summit, we were able to make

more and faster progress than during the previous long

months of consultations and speeches. The summit

acted as a catalyst for serious and committed

intergovernmental negotiations. Then we were finally

able to perceive with the required precision each

Member State's limits and margins of flexibility. In the

light of that experience, we must turn to negotiations as

the most productive working method.

Thirdly, in order to gain relevance and

effectiveness, the United Nations institutional

structures should adapt to real global problems and not

the other way around. Otherwise, we could be in the

absurd situation of building institutions pleasing to

high political and diplomatic circles but very

disappointing to the societies they are meant to serve.

Discussions on the new Human Rights Council

illustrate that kind of failing. The number of members

has received far more attention than the mandates and

tasks it should carry out in order to promote human

dignity. It is urgent that this be reversed.

Mr. Eliasson, you will be presiding over a very

unusual General Assembly session. Fruitless efforts

have been made for years to find the formulas to

revitalize the highest globally representative organ.

Today, driven by the winds of reform and the need to

ease the Organizationís sense of crisis, the General

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Assembly has rare momentum to steer the future

course of the United Nations. This is where major

agreements could be reached and where States'

commitments will be recorded. Mexico is fully

confident that, during your presidency, the General

Assembly will grow stronger as the main political

forum for major global decision-making.

As stated by the President of Mexico at the recent

summit (see A/60/PV.4), we are at the starting point,

not at the finish line. Our task is incomplete, and it is

urgent to establish a Peacebuilding Commission to put

into practice the concept of the ìresponsibility to

protectî; to establish a Human Rights Council that

could make an immediate difference vis-a-vis the

weaknesses and double standards that have tarnished

the reputation of the Commission on Human Rights; to

begin negotiations on reform of the Security Council,

with the common purpose of putting in place the best

possible collective security system, one that can

effectively face today's major threats.

Development continues to be a priority among

the aspirations and concerns on the global agenda.

Mexico has made particularly important efforts in this

realm. The International Conference on Financing for

Development, held in the Mexican city of Monterrey,

became a watershed in our approach to that subject. A

partnership between rich and developing countries was

forged for the first time ever, with the purpose of

fighting poverty head-on and defining financial targets

and timetables in that fight. We therefore particularly

appreciate the decision of those developed countries

that have announced precise timetables and levels of

their gross national product to be allocated for official

development assistance. We reiterate our call to the rest

of the economic Powers to move in that direction, and

we urge the developing countries to present, as soon as

possible, their own national strategies to ensure that

they can access those resources. It is crucial that all

parties fully meet their commitments. We cannot allow

ourselves to go backwards in this connection.

The President of Mexico has asked me to put on

record our disappointment at the fact that the summit's

outcome document did not include a section on

disarmament and non-proliferation. My delegation will

join forces with other interested member States to

restore this sensitive issue to the United Nations

agenda.

For Mexico, which last April had the honour of

hosting the first Conference of States Parties and

Signatories of Treaties That Establish Nuclear-

Weapon-Free Zones, disarmament and non-

proliferation issues are a top priority on our

international agenda. Because of this, and because of

the hazardous international scenario we have

experienced in recent weeks, we consider it urgent to

find a way to end the paralysis faced by the multilateral

forums dealing with this matter.

Likewise, Mexico attaches great importance to

the agreement reached during the summit to finalize a

comprehensive convention on the rights of persons

with disabilities. We urge all Member States and

Observers to continue their negotiations with a view to

making sure that this instrument is adopted by the

General Assembly during its current session.

Finally, I would like to comments on the section

of the outcome document dealing with the rule of law.

The rule of law in international relations is a rational

preventive tool for settling disputes. The United

Nations legal machinery constitutes an ally of the

Security Council in the maintenance of international

peace and security. Based on the comprehensive reform

promoted by my country, we deem it necessary for

States to reinforce their commitment to strengthening

the International Court of Justice in a substantive way.

Mexico will remain a firm promoter of United

Nations reform and of seeking multilateral solutions to

address the world's major problems. Through the

Group of Friends for United Nations Reform, and

during this critical year in the life of our Organization,

we will go on putting forward proposals and

mechanisms to implement decisions. In this regard, I

would like to echo President Fox's appreciation to his

counterparts from Algeria, Australia, Canada, Chile,

Colombia, Germany, Japan, Kenya, the Netherlands,

New Zealand, Pakistan, Singapore, Spain and Sweden

for their intelligent and constructive contribution to the

reform process. The diversity of views within the

Group and the decision to focus on delivering concrete

proposals to solve the problems of the United Nations,

as well as those of the world, demonstrate that it is

indeed feasible to reach agreements and translate them

into action. We are confident that this spirit will spread

throughout the membership of the United Nations, and

that the sixtieth session will truly mark the beginning

of the second phase in the life of our Organization.