PRESS RELEASE

NYPM 03-2012

03 FEBRUARY 2012

At UN Security Council meeting:

PHL stresses rule of law in preventing international conflict and resolving disputes; highlights 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Resolution of International Dispute

31 January 2012 United Nations, New York – Philippine Mission Deputy Permanent Representative Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta addresses the United Nations Security Council during the general debate on the agenda item on “Justice and the Rule of Law.” In his statement, Ambassador Sorreta pointed out that while “We need to continue to work together to rebuild societies ravaged by conflicts and to ensure that democratic institutions and processes are established or strengthened,” the international community also needs to “continue to work as one to prevent the escalation of conflicts between States by respecting the rule of law.” In the statement, Ambassador Sorreta also underscored that the rule of law has “a central role in the settlement of disputes, whether in terms of method or substance” and highlighted the adoption by the UN General Assembly in 1982 of the Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes as a reiteration of “our high regard for law and justice when faced with potential or actual disputes.” END

31 January 2012 United Nations, New York – The Philippines called the attention of the international community to the importance of adherence to the rule of law in the prevention of international conflicts and peaceful resolution of international disputes that the rule of law has “a central role in the settlement of disputes, whether in terms of method or substance.”

During the meeting of the Security Council on the agenda item on
“Justice and the Rule of Law,” Philippine Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Carlos D. Sorreta stressed that while there is a need to “continue to work together to rebuild societies ravaged by conflicts and to ensure that democratic institutions and processes are established or strengthened,” the international community also needs to “continue to work as one to prevent the escalation of conflicts between States by respecting the rule of law.”

Emphasizing the importance of the rule of law, Ambassador Sorreta pointed out that “Time and again, conflicts – ideological, political, military and territorial – have arisen when the rule of law is weak.”

Explaining the position of the Philippines, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Libran N. Cabactulan said that the Philippine position “brought to the fore another aspect of the rule of law which should rightly be given equal emphasis.”

“The rule of law has largely been seen in the context of post-conflict scenarios when all too often the tragic price in terms of the loss of human lives and in destruction has already been paid. We need to broaden and enrich the debate in the United Nations on the rule of law to include conflict prevention and dispute resolution. We must not tire in the efforts to prevent international conflicts,” Ambassador Cabactulan said.

Ambassador Cabactulan also underscored that members of the international community have obligations to comply with, as stated in the United Nations Charter, particularly on the pacific settlement of dispute, in other international instruments as well as UN General Assembly resolutions, including Resolution 37/10 which adopted the 1982 Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes.

“These obligations and commitments are spelled out clearly and reiterated throughout international instruments and General Assembly resolutions. We need to abide by and renew our pledge this commitments, otherwise we go against the raison d’etre as members of the United Nations,” explained Ambasador Cabactulan.

Ambassador Cabactulan also said that it is important to remind the international community of these standing obligations and added that, in this regard, the Philippines would be undertaking events to commemorate the 30 th anniversary of the 1982 Manila Declaration. The Manila Declaration was approved by resolution 37/10 (under the item Peaceful settlement of disputes between States)1 by the United Nations General Assembly on 15 November 1982, on the basis of a text prepared by the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization at its 1980 session, held in Manila, the Philippines. The Declaration is considered the first important instrument of the work of the Special Committee on the Charter of the United Nations and on the Strengthening of the Role of the Organization, and one of its significant achievements.END

Reference:

Robert E.A. Borje
Second Secretary
Legal Affairs, Press and Information and Interfaith Dialogue

Philippine Mission to the United Nations
556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036
Telephone No. 212.764.1300 ext. 23