State councilor cites "development" as top priority in UN reform

Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan reiterated on June 15 that any UN reform plan should highlight and give top priority to "development issues."

He urged the UN member countries to continue pushing the implementation of the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), adopted in 2000 on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, which was described by Tang as an "important opportunity."

He made the remarks while meeting the Arab representatives who are here to attend the second high-level meeting of the Chinese- Arab Cooperation Forum held in Beijing between June 14 and 15.

"If all parties are mired in the disputes about the Security Council expansion, the September summit will find it hard to focus on the discussion of development issues. Finally, it may end in achieving nothing," Tang said.

"It will be a huge loss beyond compensation for most countries. We should not allow such a thing happen."

Tang, former Chinese Foreign Minister, said China supports reform of the United Nations based on the consideration for the future and destiny of the world organization as well the common interests of all countries, he said.

He said the purpose of the reform is to strengthen rather than weaken the United Nations. "Any plan must take the opinion of most countries as a basis and have broad consensus, which is the most pure manifestation of democracy in international relations," he said.

"It will inevitably intensify the conflict among many countries if an immature plan is put to vote or adopted," he said. "The United nations will find it difficult to operate normally with its authority and influence severely weakened."

"We would not like to see such a result and that should be avoided through strenuous efforts."

Tang also called for increasing the representation of developing countries in the UN reform, citing the severe lack of these countries, including Arab ones, in the present formation of Security Council. "That is why the expansion of the council was put on the agenda," he said.

It is the foundation as well as the direction for the council reform to give a say to more developing countries in important international affairs, he said.

"It is also a principle we must abide by, and China can't accept a result that goes against the principle," Tang added.

Source: Xinhua