Statement by Mr. Sergiy Kyslytsya,

Director-General for International Organizations,

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine,

at the UN Security Council open debate

on the Council working methods

(29 October 2013)

Mr. President,

I would like to thank you for holding this important meeting and to congratulate you with the successful Security Council presidency of Azerbaijan. Our appreciation also goes to the Permanent Representative of Argentina for her briefing as the Chair of the Informal Working on Documentation and other Procedural Questions.

 Ukraine considers effectiveness and efficiency of the Council coupled with its openness and transparency as the pillars of the overall activity of this body. Therefore, we broadly share the priorities for today’s debate stemming from the concept paper, namely strengthening Council’s transparency; enhancing its interaction with non-Council members, other UN bodies and regional and subregional organizations; ensuring more informative and analytical annual reporting to the General Assembly, etc.  

We welcome Council’s continuous efforts aimed at streamlining and improving its own procedure as showcased by the 2010 Presidential note under discussion today. Among such positive steps during 2013 I would like to point out increasing number of public meetings; active revisiting of the practice of wrap-up sessions and monthly informal briefings at the end of presidencies; resorting more often to the use of video- and teleconferencing services, etc.

There is still a number of significant issues to be addressed, among which is the institute of veto in the Security Council. Ukraine supports the necessity of creating conditions leading to the gradual reduction in the use of veto. In this regard we took note with interest of the relevant proposal by France. In our view, such an initiative, along with other positive developments in the domain of working methods, demonstrates potential for ambitious changes originating inside the Council in line with Article 30 of the UN Charter.

Mr. President,

Fully cognizant that the Council is the master of its own procedure, Ukraine believes that this body can benefit by taking on board, as it deems necessary, innovative ideas of the wider UN membership as envisaged by Article 10 of the UN Charter. The same relates to the accommodation of legitimate concerns of non-Council members.

Let me recall the longstanding position of Ukraine as to the necessity to give a stronger voice in the Council decision-making processes to those UN member States directly involved in implementation of its decisions. First and foremost it should apply to the troop- and police-contributing countries.

From our experience of active participation in UN peacekeeping we see the continuous need to adjust the timingof Council’s decisions on extensions of mandatesof peace operations, so as not to put relevant TCCs and PCCs in difficult position. Taking such decisions, whenever feasible, well in advance of the target date would provide TCCs and PCCs with more time to bring the new or extended Council’s mandates in line with their national legislation. It applies especially to those countries who by law require parliament’s approval of deployment of their peacekeeping contingents.          

Mr. President,

Ukraine welcomes the emphasis of the Presidency of Azerbaijan on strengthening the partnership synergy between the Council and regional and subregional organizations, as evidenced by yesterday’s high-level briefing by Organization of Islamic Cooperation.

Ukraine is committed to consolidating this vital partnership, contributing to this endeavour, inter alia, as the current Chairmanship of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe – the world’s largest regional organization. Here I would like to recall  suggestions expressed at the briefing to this Council by Foreign Minister of Ukraine                   H.E. Leonid Kozhara as OSCE Chairperson-in-Office held on 7 May 2013.

Mr. President,

Commitment to the strong, effective, efficient and transparent Security Council was a cornerstone of Ukraine’s only tenure in this body as an independent state in 2000-2001. It is in keeping with and building on this tradition that we intend to serve in the Council in case of Ukraine’s election as its non-permanent member for the term of 2016-2017.   

I thank you.

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