Chinese FM meets co-chairs of intergovernmental negotiations on UNSC reform

BEIJING, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) — Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani and Martin Bille Hermann, co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on the United Nations Security Council Reform of the 76th Session of the UN General Assembly, through video link Tuesday.

Wang said the Security Council is the core of the international collective security mechanism. In the current turbulent global environment, the Security Council needs to improve its capacity and efficiency through reform to better perform its duties entrusted by the UN Charter.

China has always supported the reasonable and necessary reform of the Security Council and has always made constructive efforts to this end, Wang added.

He said the reform of the Security Council should prioritize increasing the representation and voices of developing countries so that more countries, especially small and medium-sized ones, have more opportunities to participate in the decision-making of the Security Council. It is the original intention and the direction of the reform of the Security Council.

He stressed that the reform of the Security Council is a systematic project that requires a package solution striking a proper balance among five paramount issues involved in the reform.

In pushing through the reform, it’s necessary to build consensus, adhere to the leadership of member states, reflect their agreement, and ensure that the results are acceptable to them. The status of intergovernmental negotiations as the main channel should be upheld, Wang said.

He expressed the hope that the two co-chairs, bearing in mind the long-term development of the UN and the common interests of all member states, will guide all parties to enhance their understanding of each other’s positions to push forward the reform of the Security Council on the right course.

Al-Thani and Hermann, who are permanent representatives to the UN of Qatar and Denmark, respectively, appreciated China’s efforts to safeguard multilateralism and strengthen the role of the UN. They extended congratulations on the successful Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022.

They said the reform of the Security Council is complex and sensitive, and they will continue to adhere to the leadership of member states, fully listen to their opinions, broaden consensus, and reduce differences. The co-chairs expressed readiness to strengthen communication and coordination with all member states, including China, to steadily advance the reform process of the Security Council.

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