Envoy urges UN Security Council to adhere to charter

A senior Chinese envoy urged the United Nations Security Council to stay focused on key issues and ensure effective execution of its mandate at the council's open debate on its working methods on Tuesday.

"It is essential to adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter as a fundamental guidance to the council and its subsidiary organs," said Ma Zhaoxu, permanent representative of China at the UN.

"The council needs to focus its resources and energy on addressing major and urgent issues concerning international peace and security and strengthen the practical effect of its actions," Ma said.

In deliberating on thematic issues, the council needs to coordinate with the General Assembly, Economic and Social Council and other UN bodies so that all can play their respective roles and avoid duplication, he said.

Ma also called for the council to insist on democratic consultation and ensure collective decision-making, and to enhance information exchange and value the views of all parties.

The envoy said China supports continued improvement of the council's working methods for it to "be better positioned to deliver on its mandate with greater efficiency and effectively respond to threats to international peace and security".

China supports the council in strengthening coordination with regional organizations pursuant to Chapter 8 of the Charter to leverage their experience in addressing local problems and their unique advantages in respect to geography, history and culture, he said.

"Setting artificial time-frames, steamrolling half-baked proposals or initiating text-based negotiations in the absence of requisite conditions will undermine the credibility of inter-governmental negotiations," Ma said.

That, he said, is not helpful to the unity among member states and the sound progress of intergovernmental negotiations.