China's Position Paper on UN Reforms (full text)

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-06-08 11:35

4. Organized Crime

China supports the enhancement of international and regional cooperation to crack down on transnational organized crimes. Developed countries should fulfil greater obligations of providing resources.

China hopes to see effective implementation of international conventions on combating transnational organized crimes and corruption.

The UN Office on Drugs and Crime should strive to help countries comply with the conventions.

Provided that the existing international conventions concluded at the UN are effectively implemented, China does not object to the negotiation and conclusion of necessary new international conventions within the UN framework.

5. Prevention and Mediation

China supports the establishment of the "prevention culture" by the UN and larger input into conflict prevention and mediation, especially the improvement of mechanisms and measures such as early warning and fact-finding mission.

The Member States should give full play to the leading role of the Security Council and support the Secretary-General's authorized good offices and mediation.

6. Sanctions

China has always maintained that sanctions should be applied with prudence on the precondition that all peaceful means have been exhausted. Once the Security Council decides to impose sanctions, all countries are obliged to comply strictly.

China is in favor of improving the sanctions mechanism of the UN, setting a strict criterion, making it well focused, setting explicit time limits and minimizing the possibility of humanitarian crisis arising from sanctions and its impact on the third country. The committees on sanction should regularly evaluate the humanitarian impact of sanctions.

The international community should help developing countries build capacity for sanctions implementation.

7. Use of force

Peaceful settlement of international disputes and non-use of force in international relations is an important principle of the UN Charter and a basic norm of international law. China consistently stands for settlement of international disputes by peaceful means and opposes the threat or use of force in international relations.

We are of the view that Article 51 of the Charter should neither be amended nor reinterpreted. The Charter lays down explicit provisions on the use of force, i.e. use of force shall not be resorted to without the authorization of the Security Council with the exception of self-defense under armed attack. Whether an urgent threat exists should be determined and handled with prudence by the Security Council in accordance with Chapter 7 of the Charter and in light of the specific situation.

Given the varying causes and nature of crises, it is both unrealistic and hugely controversial to formulate a "one -fits-all" rule or criterion on the use of force. Whether to use force or not should be decided by the Security Council in light of the reality of conflicts on a case-by-case basis.

The Security Council is the only body that can decide the use of force. Regional arrangements or organizations must obtain Security Council authorization prior to any enforcement action.

8. Peacekeeping

UN peacekeeping operations should comply with the UN Charter and all the basic principles that are proven effective, including neutrality, consent of parties concerned and non-use of force except for self-defense, etc.

China supports the enhancement of the UN's peacekeeping capacity and welcomes the Secretary-General's proposal on the establishment of strategic reserves and civilian police standby capacity. China hopes that the Secretariat will specify and clarify the many aspects of the proposal as required by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping of the General Assembly. To establish a new mechanism entails cautious and thorough consideration so as to ensure its feasibility and effectiveness. Resources should be consolidated and limits of capacity respected and potential of the existing mechanisms fully tapped.

The limited UN resources on peacekeeping should be rationally and effectively utilized. The UN may provide support, where necessary, to peacekeeping operations conducted by regional organizations in Africa.

China supports stronger cooperation between the UN and regional organizations for better coordination and full utilization of each other's advantages. Peacekeeping operations undertaken by regional organizations should comply with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.