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II. Suggested list of questions to be addressed by the open-ended working group on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council
A/AC.247/2

Prepared by the Permanent Representatives of Finland and Singapore, Vice-Chairmen of the Open-ended Working Group in the light of informal consultations held on 21 and 24 October and 15 November 1994.

Attached is a list of questions on the two main areas of discussions on this subject. The questions, which are not new, will need to be discussed in some detail. These questions are neither exclusive nor exhaustive. The order of the listing of the questions does not indicate any order of priority. The questions represent an attempt to facilitate a systematic and constructive exchange of views in the Working Group.


SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR CLUSTER 1

1. Permanent membership

(a) Should the number of permanent members be increased? If so, by how many?

(b) Which Member States should become new permanent members ?

(c) What ia the basis for selecting new permanent members?

(d) What would be their responsibilities, obligations and privileges?

2. Non-permanent membership

(a) Should the number of non-permanent members be increased? If so, by how much?

(b) Would the criteria in Article 23 (1) of the Charter of the United Nations suffice for selecting new permanent members?

(c) What should be the ratio of non-permanent members to permanent members in the Security Council?

3. Other catagories of membership: regional, semi-permanent and other types

(a) Is there a need to have other catagories of membership in the Security Council? If so, what should these be?

(b) What should be the basis for selecting members of such new categories?

(c) What would be their responsibilities, obligations and privileges?

4. Veto

Should the veto power be retained, modified or limited? If so, how can this be achieved?

5. Size of the Security Council

(a) The low twenties has been frequently cited as the size of an enlarged Security Council, would it be possible to agree on a narrower range or a specific figure within the low twenties?

(b) How would tbe effective and efficient functioning, transparency and legitimacy of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council be affected by an enlargement?


SUGGESTED QUESTIONS FOR CLUSTER 2

1. A number of steps have been taken by the Security Council to enhance the relationship between the Council and the general membership, as well as to improve the working methods and th procedures of the Council. They include:

(i). briefings by the President of thr Security Council to the President of the General Assembly and to the chairmen of regional groups;

(ii ). consultations and exchanges of information between the Council, troop-contributing countries and the Secretariat ragardlng different aspects of peacekeeping operations;

(iii) consultations by the President of the Security Councll with interested countries on issues the Council is considering;

( iv). daily publications in the Journal of the provisional agenda of both formal and informal meetings of the Security Council;

(v). monthly circulation of the Security Council's tenative forecast of its programme of work for the upcoming month, including a list of forthcoming reports by the Secretary-General as requested by the Council as well as the schedule of forthcoming reviews and renewal of mandates of peacekeeping operations and of sanctions regimes;

(vi). availability of draft Security Council resolutions in their "blue", or provisional, form at the same time Council members receive them;

(vii). removal of a number of items from the list of matters of which the Council is seized;

(viii) orientation debates open to all Member States at the time when the Council is preparing to begin consideration of a new item or an important question.


2. Which steps listed above could be further streamlined, modified, expanded or possiibly institutionalized?

3. Should the provisional rules of procedure of the Security Council be retained, modified or finalized?

4. Could the present system of consultations in the Security Council be made more transparent without adversely affecting its decision-making process? If so, how could this be done?

5. Should regular briefings be given on the proceedings in thethe Security Council? If so, should these be given to the general membership directly by the President of the Security Council or by a member of the UN Secretariat (cf. rule 55: At the close of each private meeting the Security Council shall issue a communique through the Secretary-General. )? Or, should they be given indirectly through the chairmen of regional groups?

6. How could the mechanisms for the gathering and analysing of information on issues under consideration by the Security Council be enhanced?

7. If it is useful to have consultations with Member States in general and the parties to a conflict as well as other parties concerned in particular, how could this be done best?

8. How could the dialogue between tho Security Council and the general membership be improved to ensure more effective and just implementation of different sanctions regimes?

9. How could the relationship between the Security Council and the General Assembly be developed?

10. What should be the format of the reports of the Security Council to the General Assembly?

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