High-level symposium on UN reform concludes

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, April 05, 2004

High-level symposium on UN reform concludes

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The major threats to world peace and security are diversified and interrelated at present, and the international community should pay equal emphasis to different threats and challenges, and take collective measures to deal with them, China's former vice premier Qian Qichen said in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejinag Province on April 4.

Addressing the closing ceremony of the Asia High-Level Symposium on Threats, Challenges and Change, Qian said that in resolving international and regional conflicts, it is better for countries to advocate dialogues and find political and diplomatic ways to peacefully settle them.

The United Nations plays an irreplaceable role in international affairs, and a strong UN is in the interest of all countries, he said. The UN, while strictly implementing guidelines on international relations such as the UN Charter, should carry out reform internally and advance with the times.

In the reform process, the UN should not only inherit but also innovate, Qian said, adding that it should also raise work efficiency so as to better meet the new situation and new challenges.

Eleven members of the panel of eminent persons on UN reform and the UN's role as well as some 33 senior officials and renowned scholars and experts from nearly 20 countries attended the symposium, which began April 2 in Hangzhou, capital of east China's Zhejiang Province.

Extensive and in-depth discussions were held on major topics including the threats and challenges brought by modernization to world peace and security, the collective action to deal with these threats and challenges and the operation, coordination and reform of the UN.

During the three days, 16 eminent persons made keynote speeches, including Anand Panyarachun, Thailand's former premier and chairman of the eminent persons panel, former prime minister of the Republic of Korea Lee Hong-koo, Tanzania's former prime minister Salim Ahmed Salim, Indonesia's former foreign minister Ali Alatas, Australia's former foreign minister Gareth John Evans, and Sadako Ogata, former United Nations high commissioner for refugees.

The eminent persons panel was founded in November 2003, under the proposal of UN Secretary-General Kofi Anna. This team of the 16 former high-ranking officials and heads of international organizations, including Qian, is responsible for analyzing the challenges to international peace and security, and for raising proposals and submitting reports on such major issues as UN reform to the secretary-general.

Source: Xinhua

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