Mr. Chairman,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the L69 Group of countries. The L69 Group comprises a diverse group of 41 countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, who are united by a common cause – to achieve, lasting and comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council.

The Group is cemented in its firm conviction that expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the Security Council is needed to better reflect contemporary world realities, and achieve a more accountable, representative and transparent Security Council. These are the principles that we feel should be at the heart of Security Council reform. And we are convinced that the overwhelming majority of the UN member-states think along similar lines.

Mr. Chairman,

Let me take this opportunity to welcome the work plan you conveyed in your letter of 29 December last year and the details about the modus operandi for the five meetings contained in your letter of 10 January 2012. Your approach receives the full approval of the L69 Group.

The Group will continue to work with you in an active and constructive manner. We were instrumental in starting the intergovernmental negotiations. We remain engaged in these negotiations on the understanding that the UN Charter, the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly as well as relevant GA resolutions require support from two-thirds majority of the UN membership for any decision in this regard.

Mr. Chairman,

The L.69 position is well known.

But let me recap briefly that the Group calls for expanding the Security Council from the present 15 to 25/26 with the inclusion of new permanent and non-permanent members as per the UN Charter. The new permanent members will include countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America and shall have the same responsibilities and privileges as the existing permanent members. The new non-permanent members shall be from Asia, East Europe and GRULAC as well as from Africa, taking into account the need to ensure representation from developing countries, including small island developing states wherein participation shall be on the basis of the concept of rotating seats.

There must be improvement in the working methods of the Council and also in the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly.

Mr. Chairman,

Today’s meeting is instructive. We have heard presentations that called for the intergovernmental negotiations to focus on expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories and improvement in the Council’s working methods. This reflects the areas of maximum convergence in the intergovernmental negotiations on Security Council reform and also finds resonance with the large majority of the UN membership.

In our view, the short resolution presents the most concrete proposal on the table. We believe that it is only right that the intergovernmental negotiations continue its work on the basis of the principles elaborated in the short resolution.

I would like to take this opportunity to convey that the L69 Group is keen to further deepen our convergence with other equally reform-minded delegations and groups. In particular, we are willing to work with our African brothers and other groups in this regard.

Mr. Chairman,

In closing allow me to recall paragraph 30 of the Millennium Summit Declaration in which World Leaders inter alia resolved to intensify efforts to achieve a comprehensive reform of the Security Council in all its aspects.

I would also like to specifically highlight paragraph 153 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome document in which Leaders further resolved to support early reform of the Security Council as an essential element of overall efforts to reform the United Nations in order to make it more broadly representative, efficient and transparent and thus further enhance its effectiveness and legitimacy and implementation of its decisions.

The L69 Group is of the firm belief that without expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories, the objective of broad representation as mentioned in paragraph 153 of the 2005 World Summit Outcome document would not be achieved, and consequently, the very legitimacy of the Council, which needs to take into account the contemporary geopolitical realities, would be brought into question.

The L69 Group is committed to playing its part in ensuring that this comprehensive reform is not left to future generations. We must work together to realize a reformed, more representative and more accountable Security Council, in order to ensure that future generations are able to live in a more safe and secure world.

Thank you.