Statement by Colonel Nopadon Mungkalaton, Minister Counsellor and Military Advisor of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Nations, on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at the 64th Session of the United Nations General Assembly New York 26 October 2009
Mr. Chairman,
1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), namely Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Viet Nam, and Thailand. Member States of ASEAN also associate ourselves with the statement delivered by the distinguished representative of Morocco on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Mr. Chairman,
2. Member States of ASEAN firmly believe that UN peacekeeping operations constitute an important element in the maintenance of international peace and security, in accordance with the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and relevant Security Council resolutions. We also believe that it is important for UN peacekeeping operations to respect the principles of sovereign equality, political independence, territorial integrity, and non-intervention in matters essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of States. The three basic principles, namely, consent of the parties, impartiality, and non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate must continue to be upheld.
3. Currently, UN peacekeeping operations are operating in challenging environments and facing higher risks than ever. Many of these operations are deployed in hostile situations without peace agreements; difficult to support logistically; and not resourced adequately. In an attempt to improve the efficiency of UN peacekeeping operations and address these challenges, many initiatives within the UN system and by Member States have been carried out this year. ASEAN Member States take note of these initiatives and efforts, in particular the New Horizon non-paper. We will closely follow their development and are ready to engage in these consultations. We also look forward to active interaction among Member States on this issue.
Mr. Chairman,
4. Member States of ASEAN consider that, in order to effectively operate in a harsh and hostile environment, UN peacekeepers need appropriate operational capabilities that will provide sufficient force protection and enhance operational security. They also need timely and reliable logistical field support. In addition, a credible and effective political process is needed. To achieve all these together, ASEAN Member States believe that it is essential to have system-wide cooperation and coordination amongst relevant stakeholders, including the Security Council, General Assembly, Secretary-General, UN Secretariat, and Troop-Contributing Countries (TCCs).
5. Member States of ASEAN would like to stress the importance of clear and achievable mandates for UN peacekeeping operations, which should also match allocated resources and the situation on the ground. In this regard, we encourage, among other things, the involvement of and consultation with the TCCs in the drafting of mandates. ASEAN Member States believe that the TCCs will have much to contribute from their experiences in the field, particularly those from relevant regions due to their comparative advantages in geographical, historical and cultural backgrounds. Complex and integrated mandates, such as the protection of civilians and human rights protection, will certainly need clear guidelines from the Secretariat while mandates related to Security Sector Reform (SSR), Disarmament, Demobilization, and Reintegration (DDR), and Rule of Law (ROL) will need both operational guidelines and strategic guidance.
6. We emphasize the importance of the safety and security of peacekeepers. We are concerned about the recent loss of one of our peacekeepers while serving in a mission area as a result of negligence of medical staff responsible for providing immediate and proper medical attention to peacekeepers in the field. Serious efforts should be made by the DPKO and DFS to address questions in connection with the death of the peacekeeper as well as to ensure that medical personnel assigned in mission areas are qualified and able to attend to the medical needs of peacekeepers and are held accountable should they be found to be derelict in performing their duties.
Mr. Chairman,
7. Modern armed conflicts are structurally complex and multi-dimensional in nature. In most conflicts, peacekeeping operations will require an integrated and holistic approach that includes a range of measures including conflict prevention, peacekeeping, and post-conflict reconstruction, building on ownership of host country and regional support. Therefore, ASEAN Member States are of the view that the review of mandates at an appropriate stage, with an effective benchmarking mechanism, is crucial.
8. A good exit strategy also needs careful planning and involvement of all parties concerned to ensure a smooth transition to post-conflict peacebuilding. The transition from peacekeeping operations to post-conflict peacebuilding should draw on regional expertise as much as possible. Member States of ASEAN encourage relevant actors in peacekeeping operations to engage more closely with the Peacebuilding Commission in this regard.
9. ASEAN Member States wish to reiterate that UN peacekeeping operations should not substitute, but must be a part of, the political process that seeks to address the conflict from its root causes. Sustainable peace and security can only be achieved when the root causes of the conflicts are addressed through engagement with all parties involved, based on dialogue, peaceful settlement of disputes, mutual respect, inclusiveness and non-discrimination. Member States of ASEAN firmly believe that security and development are interrelated and mutually reinforcing. It is, therefore, important that socio-economic reconstruction be prioritized along side with the establishment of peace and security.
Mr. Chairman,
10. We wish to reiterate once again our long-standing support to the noble task of the UN peacekeeping operations. ASEAN Member States have long contributed troops in UN peacekeeping operations and will continue to do so, based on our capacity. ASEAN Member States have close to 3,500 peacekeepers serving in various missions at the moment. These contributions are a clear testament of our commitment towards international peace and security.
11. As ASEAN moves towards becoming one community by 2015, we are looking at the possibility of establishing a network among the existing peacekeeping centers of ASEAN Member States to conduct joint planning, training and sharing of experiences, as envisaged in the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint.
12. Finally, we, Member States of ASEAN, wish to pay tribute to all the men and women who had served and are still serving in the peacekeeping missions. We express our gratitude and pay tribute to those who had made ultimate sacrifice in order to maintain international peace and security.
I thank you, Mr. Chairman.
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