China calls for stronger unity, improved working methods at UN Security Council

China on Wednesday called on members of the UN Security Council to "strengthen unity and cooperation, build broader consensus and improve the council's working methods" so that it can more effectively fulfill its responsibility for maintaining international peace and security.

Speaking at a Security Council meeting on working methods, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the UN, said the effectiveness of the council bears directly on the authority and credibility of the United Nations as well as the prospects for international peace and security.

"Working methods are an important safeguard for the Security Council in fulfilling its responsibilities and have never been merely a technical issue," Fu said, adding that they should be continuously improved from the broader perspective of maintaining international peace and security.

Fu stressed that unity and cooperation should remain at the heart of the council's work. "Unity and cooperation are the source of vitality for multilateral mechanisms and should always remain the most fundamental working method of the Security Council," Fu said.

Whether dealing with substantive or procedural matters, council members should "respect one another, engage in full consultations, properly manage differences and make every effort to seek consensus", Fu said.

Fu warned against pushing draft resolutions to a vote when major disagreements remain. "Forcing a vote on draft resolutions when significant disagreements still exist not only deepens divisions within the council, but also greatly weakens the political weight and effectiveness of the resolutions themselves," Fu said.

China also stressed the responsibility of countries serving as penholders, which take the lead in drafting council resolutions on particular issues, to play a more constructive role in building consensus.

"Penholdership is not a privilege but a responsibility", Fu said. Penholders should "uphold objectivity and impartiality, listen broadly to the views of all parties and actively play a coordinating role" in helping council members reach the broadest possible consensus.

On sanctions, peacekeeping and other tools available to the council, Fu said their value should ultimately be measured by whether they contribute to political solutions.

"The effectiveness of Security Council meetings, outcomes, and tools such as sanctions and peacekeeping should be judged by whether they proceed from realities and constructively advance the political settlement of hotspot issues," Fu said.

China called on the council to follow the spirit of Chapter VI of the UN Charter, create favorable conditions for dialogue and negotiation among parties to conflicts, and support mediation efforts by regional countries and organizations.

The council should also fully respect the sovereignty and ownership of the countries concerned and exercise caution in the use of coercive measures, including sanctions and the use of force, Fu said.

"For sanctions regimes that have failed to achieve their intended objectives, timely reviews and adjustments should be made, and those that have become outdated should be lifted without delay," Fu said.

On UN political and peacekeeping missions, Fu said they should focus on their core mandates, maintain close cooperation with host countries and adjust their mandates and deployments according to conditions and needs on the ground.

"The transition and withdrawal of missions should be carried out in a smooth and orderly manner so as to avoid shocks to the situation on the ground," Fu said.

Fu also called for more practical steps to improve the efficiency of the council, including reducing repetitive meetings, making greater use of informal consultations where appropriate, and producing more concise and focused outcome documents.

Fu also urged the council to improve the selection of civil society briefers to ensure that their participation is objective, impartial and substantively useful to discussions.

Fu reiterated the Security Council's central role in the international collective security architecture, saying its status and role are "irreplaceable".

"A united and effective Security Council meets the needs of world peace and stability and serves the common interests of the broad membership of the United Nations," Fu said.

He urged the international community to oppose "illegal unilateral actions that bypass the Security Council and undermine the role of the United Nations". Permanent members of the Security Council, in particular, should take the lead in upholding fairness and justice and "demonstrate the responsibility expected of major countries", Fu said.

"As a permanent member of the Security Council and a responsible major country, China has always participated constructively in the work of the council," the representative said.

As a permanent member of the Security Council, China stands ready to continue working with all parties to uphold multilateralism, strengthen unity and cooperation, and improve the council's ability to fulfill its responsibilities, Fu said.

minluzhang@chinadailyusa.com