The 38th floor: Security Council considers 'An Agenda for Peace' proposals.

A series of special Security Council meetings have been launched to review specific proposals put forward in the Secretary-General's "An Agenda for Peace", with the aim of strengthening and making more effective the capacity of the UN for preventive diplomacy, peacemaking and peace-keeping.

The Council met to discuss peace-keeping on 29 October, fact-finding on 30 November, and special economic problems faced by States as a result of sanctions imposed under Chapter VII of the UN Charter on 30 December.

The Agenda report (A/47/277-S/24111), a multifaceted plan issued on 23 June 1992, was prepared by Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali in response to a request from the historic summit session of the Security Council on 31 january 1992. The Agenda features many novel ideas aimed at honing the UN's ability to identify conflicts, bring about their short- and long-term solutions, and foster peace among former adversaries.

The examination of the Agenda was coordinated with discussions in the General Assembly. Council members decided it would meet at least once a month to discuss the Agenda proposals which concern it or were addressed to it in order to arrive at conclusions to be considered at a special Council meeting, possibly in the spring of 1993.

In a statement (S/24728) issued on 29 October after the discussion on peace-keeping, the Council encouraged Member States to inform the Secretary-General of their willingness to provide forces or capabilities to the UN for peace-keeping operations and the type of units or capabilities that might be available at short notice, "subject to overriding national defence requirements and the approval of the Governments providing them".

It favoured an enhanced peacekeeping planning staff within the UN Secretariat, as well as an operations centre to deal with the growing complexity of initial planning and control of peace-keeping operations in the field, using "appropriately experienced" military or civilian staff to be supplied by Member States.

In a 30 November statement (S/24872), the Council supported the wider use of fact-finding as a tool of preventive diplomacy, in some instances through dispatching missions to requesting States. All Member States in a position to do so should provide the Secretary-General with detailed information "on issues of concern, so as to facilitate effective preventive diplomacy", the Council stated. Ways to strengthen the Secretariat's capacity for information gathering and in-depth analysis should be considered, using experts and "eminent persons". The positive role that regional organizations could play was noted.

The Council endorsed the Secretary-general's view that, in some cases, a fact-finding mission could help defuse a dispute or situation, indicating to those concerned that the UN, and in particular the Council, was "actively seized of the matter as a present or potential threat to international peace and security".

Such action in the early stages of a potential dispute could be particularly effective, the Council asserted. It welcomed the Secretary-General's readiness to make full use of his powers under Article 99 of the UN Charter to draw the Council's attention to any matter which in his opinion might threaten international peace and security.

In a 30 December statement (S/25036), the Council shared the Secretary-General's observation that when sanctions were imposed under Chapter VII of the Charter, it was important that States confronted with special economic problems have the right to consult the Council regarding such problems, as provided in Article 50. The Council agreed that appropriate consideration should be given to their situation.

The Council intended to consider further the Agenda recommendation that it devise a set of measures, involving financial institutions and other components of the UN system, that could be put in place "to insulate States from such difficulties". In this context, the Secretary-General was invited to consult international financial institutions, other components of the UN system and UN Members States, and to report to the Council as early as possible.

General Assembly action

The General Assembly, after an extensive debate on "An Agenda for Peace", adopted without a vote an eight-part resolution (47/120) containing specific recommendations.

Member States were invited to seek peaceful settlement of disoutes at an early stage. The Secretary-General and the Security Council were encouraged to consult at an early stage to develop strategies for settling disputes peacefully, with the participation of other UN bodies and through regional arrangements.

The Secretary-General was invited to strengthen UN capacity for early warning, collection of information and analysis, including setting up an adequate mechanism to deal with situations likely to endanger international peace and security. Member States and regional organizations were invited to provide timely early-warning information, on a confidential basis.

The Assembly supported the continued use of experts in fact-finding missions, and urged that Member States' requests for such missions be considered expeditiously.

Consultations on initiating confidence-building measures in various regions were encouraged, including promotion of openness and restraint in the production, procurement and deployment of armaments, systematic exchange of military missions, formation of regional risk reduction centres, and monitoring of regional arms control and disarmament agreements.

Coordination of humanitarian assistance programmes with peace-keeping or related operations was urged, so that the non-political and impartial character of such humanitarian action would be preserved.

In the area of resources and logistical aspects of preventive diplomacy, Member States were asked to provide political and practical support to the Secretary-General in his efforts in that area, as well as any necessary expertise and logistical resources.

As for the role of the General Assembly in preventive diplomacy, ways to promote the use of the world body by Member States were urged in order to bring greater influence to bear in pre-empting or containing international friction or disputes.

Finally, regarding future work in this area, the Assembly decided it would continue in 1993 its examination of the other Agenda recommendations on preventive diplomacy and related matters, including preventive deployment, demilitarized zones, the International Court of Justice and implementation of Article 50 of the UN Charter.

Excerpts from statements by UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali made between 1 October and 31 December 1992.

Common ground ...

Democracy's function is to find common ground for many, often competing, interests. And so ... the world's agenda today requires a comprehensive integrated approach. One characteristic is common to all important global issues: They have many dimensions. They require collective action among nations. They involve mutual rights and obligations among the States and the international community.

To the opening session of the annual forum of the Parliamentarians

for Global Action, New York, 20 November

New structures ...

We live at a time of great change in international relations. As the nations of the world discuss new agendas for peace and development, it is clear that the work of individuals will be crucially important in building new structures of international relations. The nation State remains the cornerstone of international relations, but the nongovernmental sector, citizens' groups and the private sector will have an increasing role to play.

In a message on the occasion of International Volunteer Day,

New York, 5 December

A special case ...

Development cooperation is a grand ideal, but it remains unfulfilled. Too often in the past grandiose concepts were followed by fragmented, uncoordinated action. Too many indicators of social and economic progress in Africa tell a disappointing story. Some are inclined to write Africa off as hopeless. Others see Africa as a special case to which the principles of economics do not apply. I reject such views. It is our approach that has failed. Africa has not.

In a statement to a Panel of High-Level Personalities on

African Development, Geneva, 29 December

Intangible asset ...

Looking back over 1992, the first year of my term of office, it is clear to me that the international community has had very high expectations of the United Nations, expecting it to work miracles. A more realistic attitude is now emerging, and I believe that we are moving from hope to fulfilment. I believe the women and men of the United Nations have risen magnificently to the challenge. The United Nations possesses, in the staff which serve it, an intangible asset of incalculable value.

In a holiday season message to UN Staff

New York, 9 December