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北京大学英语新闻网/Peking University News
Former Deputy Secretary‘s Lecture on
the UN Reform
By Wang Mingliang
PKU NEWS 2005--09—23
http://ennews.pku.edu.cn/news.php?s=127696854
Peking University, Beijing, Sept.23rd.2005: At 7:00 pm of Sept. 23rd, Jing Yongjian,
Secretary of the UN Association in China, former deputy Secretary of the United
Nations, addressed PKU students in the Qiulin Hall at the School of International
Studies. Secretary Jing focused mainly on the outcome document achieved by the
UN members in the recently held UN summit this September.
The UN reform has been put on the timetable for a long time. As Mr. Jing said,
almost every new General Secretary of the UN would launch their reform plans after
they swore in. As far back to 1993, there was a working group on the enlargement of
Security Council that had been established. And UN reform has been an irresistible
trend that enjoys almost all the UN members‘ support. But when it comes to the
concrete plans for the reform, different countries, especially the big powers in the
world, often present conflicting agenda. There exists a big difference between the
developing countries and the developed countries. The developing countries care
more about their domestic economic development and foreign assistance from the
rich western countries, while the security concerns, especially anti-terrorism
dominate the attentions from the developed countries. Therefore, long and difficult
negotiations are usually seen in the United Nations. Only compromises in such
cases can contribute to a final achievement, like the outcome document Mr.Jing
mentioned, which was exactly the result of negotiation and compromise. Besides the
requirement for general UN reform, the reform of the Security Council is absolutely
the most important issue. And recently Germany, Japan, India and Brazil have
formed a league, asking for the tickets of possessing permanent seats in the Security
Council. But the 5 permanent members seem reluctant in sharing the power with
them, and more and more developing countries argue that the Security Council
should increase the members representing their interest. So, there will be a long way
for the reform in the Security Council.
And Ambassador Jing also talked about the important role China has played in the
UN reform. Especially the new country leaders of China take a more positive attitude
in participating UN reform, which has been proven by the important speeches made
by President Hu Jingtao at the UN summit. No wonder China can best represent the
interests for the developing countries. China supports that more voices from Africa
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