UN: EU Statement on Mandate Review

UN 61st Session; Mandate Review; Statement by H.E. Ms. Heidi Schroderus-Fox, Ambassador, Deputy Permanent Representative of Finland to the United Nations, on behalf of the European Union, New York, 22 NOvember 2006

Distinguished Co-chairs,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union.

The Acceding Countries Bulgaria and Romania, the Candidate Countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the Countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidates Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and Moldova align themselves with this declaration.

The European Union would like to thank the Co-chairs Ambassador Akram and Ambassador Cooney for their continuous efforts in guiding the work on the Mandate Review. The EU welcomes the Status Report and wishes to thank the Co-chairs for their efforts in bringing the review of mandates older than five years and not renewed to the end. We also want to thank all Member States for their engagement and flexibility. We welcome the letter dated 21 November as a valuable and timely effort to take the process forward. We would also like to restate our support to the guidelines and working methods of the continuation of the review suggested by the Co-chairs.

The Mandate Review exercise, as stipulated in the paragraph 163(b) of General Assembly resolution 60/1, was to be completed during this year. It is one of the European Union's Priorities for the 61st General Assembly. Hence, we stress the importance of agreeing on the continuation of the process as soon as possible. We see the Co-chairs' suggestion of the beginning of the work as a good basis for bringing this process forward in an efficient and practical way.

With reference to our previous proposals, the European Union has suggested a start to the review of the remaining mandates in the cluster concerning the effective coordination of humanitarian assistance efforts. However, we remain open to all other suggestions made by other Member States concerning the thematic clusters under which the review would be continued.

The EU continues to support Mandate Review as a necessary stock taking to strengthen the organisation and increase its efficiency and effectiveness for the benefit of all Member States. We look forward to continuing the work together with our partners on all aspects of this essential part of the United Nations Reform. The European Union is devoted to the process and stands ready to work comprehensively and constructively towards a more functional and more effective United Nations system.

Thank you, honourable Co-chairs.

* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.