Statement by H.E. Mr. Hiroshi Minami
Deputy Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations
At the Third Thematic Meeting of the Ad Hoc Working Group on the Revitalization of the Work of the General Assembly
April 27, 2015
Thank you Co-Chairs,
I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to you for convening today’s meeting and for the leadership you’ve shown in moving this process forward.
Co-Chairs,
Allow me to start by going through the current appointment process of the Secretary-General. Article 97 of the United Nations Charter is the only article in the Charter that calls for the appointment of the Secretary-General and, we believe there is no specific need to change this article.
Japan also acknowledges that we should respect past practices regarding the appointment process. We should also be reminded that there have been numerous relevant General Assembly resolutions since the first session of the General Assembly, including Resolution 11(1).
That being said, we are hearing some valuable suggestions on the Secretary-General selection process, including at this meeting today. I am very interested in the statements made by Member States today, especially the three principles proposed by the United Kingdom. The Permanent Representative of Estonia, on behalf of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency group (ACT), also made a fruitful suggestion today.
As a country that respects fairness and transparency, Japan strongly believes the selection process of the Secretary-General should be more structured.
The official submission of a candidate from the government of a member state and the compilation of the list of candidates are, for instance, to be considered.
Japan also believes that official hearings for the candidates for Secretary-General would be helpful. At the same time, such official hearings should be held in an efficient manner. Hosting an interactive session with all the candidates and 193 member states, for instance, is unrealistic and time-consuming. We also feel that gender and regional balance should be considered in selecting the Secretary-General.
Co-Chairs,
Paragraph 1 of General Assembly Resolution 11(1) says, “The terms of the appointment of the Secretary-General shall be such as to enable a man of eminence and high attainment to accept and maintain the position.”
The General Assembly agreed to the word “man” in 1946, which everyone would agree is obsolete. However, the importance of other points in this sentence remains unchanged. In order for us to select “a ‘person’ of eminence and high attainment,” Japan expects an appropriate and structured selection process is ensured.
Let me finalize my statement by saying that Japan stands ready to continue contributing in a constructive way to the discussions on this issue.
I thank you, Co-Chairs.
