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.
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