Minister Ahern welcomes official release of Report of UN Secretary-General Annan; pledges Ireland's support for the reform process
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Dermot Ahern. T.D., has welcomed the release of UN Secretary-General Annan's Report: “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All”, which the Secretary-General presented to the General Assembly in New York, earlier today.
Welcoming the Report, the Minister said:
“This is a critical report in what is a crucial year for the United Nations.
The Secretary-General has brought forward a series of ambitious but achievable recommendations which, if realised, will galvanise the international community to meet the challenges which confront mankind. He is saying to the nations of the world: do what I suggest and we can achieve the Millennium Development Goals; we can maintain international peace and security; we can combat terrorism and the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction; and we can secure global respect for fundamental human rights.
He also makes a number of far-reaching proposals on how to equip the UN institutionally to meet these threats and challenges.
Kofi Annan has demonstrated leadership. It is now up to the governments represented at the United Nations to respond by giving him the support he needs to deliver on his initiative. I have assured the Secretary-General of Ireland's full support.
It is essential that next September's UN Summit in New York puts us on course to achieve the Millennium Development Goals and places the United Nations and its system of collective security on the soundest possible footing for the twenty-first century.
The Government will be giving the fullest possible assistance to the Secretary-General and will be actively seeking support for his efforts. I look forward to discussing the Secretary-General's report with my EU colleagues at the European Council in Brussels tomorrow evening and to establishing how best the EU can put its weight behind this process.”
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Note for Editors:
Secretary-General Annan's Report “In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All” has been issued as a basis for discussion and agreement at next September's Summit at the United Nations. The Summit will review the implementation of the Millennium Summit Declaration and the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals. It will also seek to adopt reforms to the UN system of collective security. The Report is based on two earlier reports – the report of his High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change and the Report of the Millennium Project (headed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs) - as well as on the reaction of Members States to the two reports.
The Report makes wide-ranging and detailed recommendations for action in relation to development, security, human rights and the renewal of the United Nations system, including the reform of its institutions and the overhaul of its management structures.
An area of particular current interest is the question of the reform of the UN Security Council. The Secretary-General has not made a specific recommendation in relation to the two models advanced by his High-Level Panel but he has strongly urged UN Members to reach agreement this year on an expansion of the Security Council to make it more broadly representative of the international community as a whole and the geopolitical realities of today, thereby enhancing its credibility and legitimacy.
ENDS
