Security Council reform negotiations should return to right track, says Chinese envoy

A Chinese envoy to the United Nations said Friday that China hopes that the inter-government negotiations of the Security Council reform of the current General Assembly (GA) session will turn over a new page and return to a correct track.

Security Council reform bears on the common interest of all member states and long-term interest of the United Nations, said Liu Jieyi, China's permanent representative to the UN at Friday's GA meeting.

China has always been actively supporting the Security Council in its reasonable and necessary reforms aimed at enhancing the council's efficiency and authority, said Liu.

In accordance with the GA decision 62/557 and the consensus of the member states, the reform negotiations should be led by the member states, Liu said.

The envoy also noted that China hopes that the negotiations will open a new page and return to a correct track that is membership-driven, built on the proposals, suggestions put forward and efforts made by all the countries since the launch of the negotiations in 2009.

"We hope that member states will continue to be constructive in participating in the inter-governmental negotiations, seek out package solutions through extensive and democratic consultation and reach the broadest possible consensus," he added.

Moreover, he pointed out that "no time limits should be artificially set for the reform and no immature proposals should be forcefully pushed forward either."

Luxembourg's envoy to the United Nations, Sylvie Lucas, was appointed on Oct. 27 as the chair of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on UN Security Council reforms.

GA President Mogens Lykketoft, after appointing Lucas, urged member states to build momentum and move forward the process of text-based negotiations before the next round of negotiations begin next week. Endi