Presented to the General Assembly Working Group on the Security Council
13 May 1996
Mexico is convinced of the need to strengthen the role of the General Assembly, the international community's most representative body, in the decision-making process in the United Nations. It likewise believes that steps must be taken to restrict the use of the rule requiring unanimity among the five permanent members of the Security Council, also known as the "right of veto", to maintenance of international peace and security.
Following are proposed amendments to the Charter of the United Nations which seek to achieve these objectives: 1/
Article 4
1. Membership in the United Nations is open to all other peace-loving States which accept the obligations contained in the present Charter and, in the judgment of the Organization, are able and willing to carry out these obligations.
2. The admission of any such State to membership in the United Nations will be effected by a decision of the General Assembly.
Article 5
A Member of the United Nations against which preventive or enforcement action has been taken by the Security Council may be suspended from the exercise of the rights and privileges of membership by the General Assembly. The exercise of these rights and privileges may be restored by the General Assembly.
Article 27
1. Each member of the Security Council shall have one vote.
2. Decisions of the Security Council on procedural matters and on matters pertaining to Chapters VI, VII and XII shall be made by an affirmative vote of [nine] members.
3. Decisions of the Security Council on all other matters shall be made by an affirmative vote of [nine] members including the concurring votes of the permanent members; provided that, in decisions under Chapter VI, and under paragraph 3 of Article 52, a party to a dispute shall abstain from voting.
Article 97
The Secretariat shall comprise a Secretary-General and such staff as the Organization may require. The Secretary-General shall be appointed by the General Assembly. He shall be the chief administrative officer of the Organization.
Article 108
Amendments to the present Charter shall come into force for all Members of the United Nations when they have been adopted by a vote of two thirds of the members of the General Assembly and ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional processes by two thirds of the Members of the United Nations.
Article 109
1. A General Conference of the Members of the United Nations for the purpose of reviewing the present Charter may be held at a date and place to be fixed by a two-thirds vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any nine-members of the Security Council. Each Member of the United Nations shall have one vote in the conference.
2. Any alteration of the present Charter recommended by a two-thirds vote of the conference shall take effect when ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional processes by two thirds of the Members of the United Nations.
3. If such a conference has not been held before the tenth annual session of the General Assembly following the coming into force of the present Charter, the proposal to call such a conference shall be placed on the agenda of that session of the General Assembly, and the conference shall be held if so decided by a majority vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any seven members of the Security Council.
Notes
1/ In paragraphs 2 and 3 of members required for the adoption of a decision has been placed in square brackets, since this figure will be determined by the number of members agreed upon by the Working Group in its deliberations.
Previously issued as A/AC.247/1996/CRP.7
