Mr. President,Let me begin by emphasizing that Sweden fully aligns itself with the statement made by Italy on behalf of the European Union.Mr President,There is a window of opportunity for reform during this General Assembly. The call for further reform of the United Nations was again brought to us by the Secretary-General through his report on the implementation of the Millennium Declaration, and his statement at the opening of this Assembly. A vast majority of the speakers during the General Debate also agreed on the necessity to make reform happen.Mr. President,Sweden would like to underline our support for the Secretary-General's initiative to establish a panel of eminent personalities. It's establishment challenges us to work with even more determination to achieve tangible results, in the areas that the Secretary-General rightly has pointed at as fundamental to the work of the organization. We look forward to an active dialogue with the panel.But we cannot just await the results of the panel. Reforms must be brought forward now, also during this session.This Assembly can be revitalised. It is a matter of political will. There is no lack of constructive ideas. Sweden encourages you, Mr President, to further this part of the reform agenda and to put concrete suggestions before this Assembly. You can count on our support.If we wish the General Assembly to be a vigorous actor on the international political arena, we should take time to reflect on its modus operandi. We must ask ourselves if the resolutions that we traditionally introduce sometimes with very few changes from year to year serve their intended purpose and reflect the current situation. Is the best way to influence the situation to routinely request another report from the Secretary-General? In some cases we could consider bi- and tri-annualising resolutions, discontinue some of our initiatives, or change their focus. That way we will also ease the burden of the Secretariat so that it can better focus on current and more urgent requests from the Assembly.Mr. President,A reform of the Security Council, i.e. an enlargement, is essential, even inevitable, if we want the Council to stay relevant. Rather than trying to find the optimal solution now for decades to come, we should accept that any reform may have to be re-thought again, in five or ten years time. Such reform would clearly signal that the UN is prepared to adapt and adjust, in order to safeguard its authority in world politics. We will return to this item during next week's discussions in the Assembly.Mr. President,The Millennium Development Goals represent a unique opportunity for the countries in the world to work together for equitable and sustainable global and national development.The MDG 8 is unique as it represents a true partnership between developing and developed countries. Together with the Monterrey Consensus it implies a contract of mutual obligations. The policies and actions relating to MDG 8, and thus primarily to us in the developed countries, should be made more precise. We support the call of the Secretary-General for a firm timetable with attached deadlines.Rich countries like Sweden – should be obligated to report on the progress towards achieving the MDG's, especially concerning the MDG 8 agenda. It is a matter of responsibility, credibility and of donor accountability. An international framework for reporting on the MDG 8 must be designed and implemented.The Government of Sweden has presented a Bill on a Policy for Global Development to Parliament, where policy coherence and donor accountability are at heart. What used to be, primarily, the task of development co-operation is now a task for the entire Government, a pioneering change. The Bill will provide Sweden with a solid platform to take an even stronger and more active part in contributing to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.Thank you