09:04 | Lima, Sep. 29 (ANDINA).
Calling for a United Nations that reflects the “realities” of the twenty first century, Peru's Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Roncagliolo speaking at the General Assembly Friday highlighted the need for reform of the world body, starting with the Security Council.
“We need the United Nations… to overcome the current architecture of the post-war world of 1945,” the Foreign Minister told the 67th Assembly’s General Debate, taking place at UN Headquarters in New York.
“The current scenario demands a greater presence of developing countries in taking responsibility for preserving peace and security,” he was quoted as saying by UN News Centre. “We regret the limited progress in negotiations on this subject.”
Foreign Minister Roncagliolo said the current structure – which includes a Security Council in which five permanent members wield the power the veto – had been unable to resolve a number of international disputes.
Among these, he included the ongoing conflict in Syria, the plight of the Palestinian people, economic sanctions imposed on Cuba, and the stand-off between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the issue of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas).
“To overcome these and other shortcomings and deficiencies of the current international order, it is urgent to adopt measures within our own organization,” he said. “The most urgent one being probably the reform of the Security Council, designed to transform this body into a more efficient, transparent, democratic and representative forum.”
The Foreign Minister emphasized his country’s “faith” in multilateralism, saying his country has demonstrated this, not least through its adherence to international conventions. Among several examples of what he described as Peru’s continuing “commitment to multiculturalism and integration,” he cited his country’s term, since June, chairing the Presidency Pro Tempore of the South American Union of Nations (UNASUR).
“We want to consolidate South America as a zone of peace and of viability of a democratic citizenship without exclusions,” he said. “It is already a nuclear weapon-free zone, and we hope that it soon comes to be free from anti-personnel mines. We need that the money currently spent in arms be redirected towards development and the defeat of poverty and inequality.”
The Peruvian official is one of scores of world leaders and other high-level officials presenting their views and comments on issues of individual national and international relevance at the Assembly’s General Debate, which ends on 1 October.
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Published: 9/29/2012