Intervention by H.E. Ambassador Katalin Bogyay Permanent Representative at the Security Council open debate on the working methods of the Security Council under the agenda item “Implementation of the note by the President of the Security Council (S/2010/507)” on 19 July 2016.
Your Excellency, Mr. President,
Honorable members of the Security Council, Dear Colleagues,
I thank Japan for providing us the opportunity to reflect on this important topic.
We all would love to see a more efficient, transparent, relevant Security Council, which can provide solutions and not cul-de-sacs. In order to join forces in trying to find ways and means to form a more effective Council, let me reiterate the views of Hungary while fully supporting the statements delivered on behalf of the ACT Group.
Mr. President,
Hungary of course welcomes the resolution 69/32, adopted by consensus by the General Assembly on 11 September 2015 on the Revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, which has set a structured process for the selection of the next Secretary- General. So far the publication of candidates and the informal dialogues are conducted successfully. I would like to congratulate the President of the General Assembly and the President of the Security Council for their successful cooperation. We hope that this transparent and inclusive process will be fully implemented and will be completed on time. We would like to see a more transparent process during the straw polls, too.
Hungary supports measures, which further strengthen the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly. We would like the relationship between the two main bodies of the United Nations to continue to improve in terms of greater transparency and consistency. Therefore we suggest making more effective use of already existing tools and develop the current practices and measures.
- The Security Council should submit an analytical, substantive and comprehensive evaluation of the Council’s work in the annual report to the General Assembly.
- The Council should continue expanding consultations and cooperation to non- Council member states, in particular Troop Contributing Countries (TCC) and Police Contributing Countries (PCC) and regional organizations.
- The Council should increase the number of public meetings, interactive briefings, informal interactive dialogues and Arria-formula meetings.
- The Council should hold more wrap-up sessions to improve the flow of substantive information and understanding the Council’s positions within the wider membership.
We believe that the Council should use already existing tools to prevent mass atrocities and take into account the results of the 2015 review processes (peacekeeping, peacebuilding and women peace and security). This would improve the Council’s response to atrocity crimes and give the opportunity to move out of its self- imposed silos.
We advocate for refraining voluntarily from the use of veto in cases of mass atrocities and we encourage all Member States who have not done so yet to support the Code of Conduct elaborated by the ACT Group and signed by 112 Member States to date.
Also, the role of the International Criminal Court is vital to end impunity and bring perpetrators to justice when national criminal accountability mechanisms are not available. The Security Council is given a special role under the Rome Statute as it can refer situations of States not party to the Statute to the Court in order to hold perpetrators to account. The Security Council should utilize its referral power in a consistent manner, whenever it is necessary. Bearing in mind, that until today 73 countries have not signed the Rome Statute, this privilege of the Council is significant.
We also would like to see the Council with clear-cut communication, translating its work clearly to the outside world.
I thank you for your attention.
