"The Proposals Can Give the UN the vigor It Needs"

'The reform measures presented by the UN Secretary General represent a powerful and welcome step in the necessary work to modernize and strengthen the UN and make it more efficient. That will give this world-wide organization the political vigor that is needed" says the Minister for Foreign Affairs Lena Hjelm-Wallén. Strenuous efforts to reform the organization are being made at the UN this spring. These efforts concern strengthening the UN system, financing issues, the composition and expansion of the Security Council, peace support measures and development cooperation. Sweden is taking a very active part in this work, primarily together with the Nordic countries and within the framework of the EU. "

Mr Kofi Annan's proposal is the first, important stage in the reform process which he has just initiated. It is my sincere hope that this will inspire member states and lead to practical contributions and progress in other areas of reform as well. In this context, Sweden will continue to be among the countries that are most active in efforts to shape a United Nations capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century," says the Foreign Minister. "It is very gratifying, from both the Swedish and the Nordic point of view, to see that a number of the ideas we put I forward, inter alia, in the 'Nordic UN Reform Project 1996 in the Economic and Social Area", for example on unified UN representation in countries receiving assistance from the UN, have been heeded in the proposals put forward by the Secretary General.