UN-EUROPEAN UNION TIES CAN PROVE THAT MULTILATERALISM WORKS - BAN

UN-EUROPEAN UNION TIES CAN PROVE THAT MULTILATERALISM WORKS – BAN New York, Sep 26 2008 6:10PM The United Nations and the European Union (EU) share a responsibility to show that multilateralism works, that it delivers results and can address current and future crises, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said today.

"As organizations, the United Nations and the European Union embody a belief in the power of multilateralism," Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2008/sgsm11833.doc.htm">told a seminar on UN-EU cooperation in crisis management and security.

However, "if we are not effective, or are seen as compromised, competing visions based on more traditional balance of power concepts could take hold. Unilateral action could increase," he cautioned.

To avoid this, the Secretary-General stressed the need to ensure that joint efforts are coherent, noting that, in specific instances, a division of labour may be desirable, based on the strengths and added value of each organization.

Also important was better information-sharing, both to keep situations from turning into crises and, once a crisis has erupted, to clarify common objectives.

In addition, he emphasized that multilateralism means inclusiveness. "UN-EU cooperation must not be a private club. It should reach out to other regional and subregional organizations, as well as to international financial institutions and civil society actors, to build the global networks required to address today's crises," he stated.

In a new <"http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=s/2008/531">report released today, the Secretary-General highlighted cooperation between the UN and other regional and intergovernmental organizations, including the African Union (AU), the League of Arab States and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He noted that the UN and AU have deepened their collaboration with the establishment of the AU-UN Hybrid Mission in Darfur (<"http://www.un.org/depts/dpko/missions/unamid/">UNAMID) and the planning and support for the AU Mission in Somalia (AMISOM).

Meanwhile, Alexander Stubb, Foreign Minister of Finland and Chairman-in-Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), today briefed the Security Council, telling the 15-member body that recent crises, such as last month's conflict in Georgia, had underlined the critical importance of collaboration between the UN and the OSCE.
2008-09-26 00:00:00.000

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