Madam President,
- Thank you for convening this informal Working Group meeting on reform of the Security Council. Sweden very much welcomes the report that has been presented to us and would like to commend the facilitators for their efforts and valuable recommendations. We believe the report reflects the views of the membership in a balanced and measured way and offers a way forward. At today’s meeting, we need to initiate a discussion on how to structure such a way forward.
- Reform of the Security Council is an essential part of the overall effort to reform the United Nations. As stated before by Sweden in this Assembly, non-action on this issue is not an option. The Security Council must be reformed.
- The legitimacy and representativity of the Security Council is crucial. For its legitimacy not to be undermined, and as other UN organs are being reformed, the Security Council’s composition, size and working methods should be reformed.
- As previously stated, Sweden believes that the Security Council should be expanded with new members, allowing stronger representation from Africa, Asia and Latin America. We would also like to see any reform of the membership of the Council be subject to a recurrent and effective review mechanism. Such a mechanism could open up for further changes in the future, like for instance, as the EU’s Common Foreign and Security Policy develops, a seat for the European Union on the Security Council.
- The Security Council must be an effective body able to act swiftly when needed. We, therefore, believe that the veto power should not be extended to any new member. Instead, a general veto-free culture should be promoted in the council. Furthermore the Security Council’s working methods should be made more open and transparent.
- As we move forward we need to show flexibility, an open mind, and seek solutions that can garner broad support. We for our part are open to discuss new ideas, including transitional arrangements, as suggested by the facilitators.
- We encourage you, Madam President to continue to carry the process forward as suggested by the facilitators, providing the membership with an arena to explore new and emerging ideas in a structured manner. The aim of such a process should be to reach a compromise solution, acceptable to the vast majority of member states. For a reform of the Security Council to be considered legitimate, it needs to enjoy the broadest possible support.
- I can assure you that Sweden will continue to engage actively in a constructive dialogue on how to reform the Security Council.
I thank you Madam President.