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Document 52009IP0150
The EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly European Parliament recommendation to the Council of 24 March 2009 on the EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly (2009/2000(INI))
The EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly European Parliament recommendation to the Council of 24 March 2009 on the EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly (2009/2000(INI))
The EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly European Parliament recommendation to the Council of 24 March 2009 on the EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly (2009/2000(INI))
OJ C 117E, 6.5.2010, p. 1–6
(BG, ES, CS, DA, DE, ET, EL, EN, FR, IT, LV, LT, HU, MT, NL, PL, PT, RO, SK, SL, FI, SV)
6.5.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
CE 117/1 |
Tuesday 24 March 2009
The EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly
P6_TA(2009)0150
European Parliament recommendation to the Council of 24 March 2009 on the EU priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly (2009/2000(INI))
2010/C 117 E/01
The European Parliament,
having regard to the proposal for a recommendation to the Council by Alexander Graf Lambsdorff on behalf of the ALDE Group on the European Union priorities for the 64th Session of the UN General Assembly (B6-0034/2009),
having regard to the European Parliament recommendation of 9 July 2008 to the Council on the EU priorities for the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly (1),
having regard to the EU priorities for the 63rd United Nations General Assembly adopted by the Council on 16 June 2008 (9978/2008),
having regard to the 63rd General Assembly of the United Nations (UNGA), in particular that body's resolutions on ‘Cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter–Parliamentary Union’ (2), ‘Convention on the Prohibition of the Use of Nuclear Weapons’ (3), ‘Comprehensive Nuclear–Test–Ban Treaty’ (4), ‘Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production and Stockpiling of Bacteriological (Biological) and Toxin Weapons and on Their Destruction’ (5), ‘Moratorium on the use of the death penalty’ (6), ‘Protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism’ (7), ‘Situation of human rights in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea’ (8), ‘Situation of human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran’ (9), ‘Doha Declaration on Financing for Development: outcome document of the Follow–up International Conference on Financing for Development to Review the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus’ (10), ‘Situation of human rights in Myanmar’ (11), ‘Development–related activities’ (12), ‘Strengthening the Department of Political Affairs’ (13), ‘Programme budget for the biennium 2008–2009’ (14) and ‘Proposed programme budget outline for the biennium 2010–2011’ (15),
having regard to its resolution of 14 January 2009 on the development of the UN Human Rights Council, including the role of the EU (16),
having regard to its resolution of 18 December 2008 on development perspectives for peace-building and nation building in post-conflict situations (17),
having regard to Rule 114(3) and Rule 90 of its Rules of Procedure,
having regard to the report of the Committee on Foreign Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Development (A6-0132/2009),
A. |
whereas, four years on, UN Member States should be reminded of their commitment to the achievement of the ambitious goals set out in the 2005 World Summit Outcome document, adopted in New York on 16 September 2005, |
B. |
whereas only a global, effective and inclusive multilateral system can address the multiple and interlinked challenges and threats faced by nations, societies and citizens, such as those to peace, stability and human security, the challenges posed by poverty, climate change and energy security and the consequences of the global economic and financial crisis, |
C. |
whereas the 63rd UNGA has taken important decisions on a number of items relating to the reform agenda, including improvements in human resources management and in the administration of justice, the partial strengthening the Department of Political Affairs, and the launch of intergovernmental negotiations on the Security Council reform, |
D. |
whereas the UNGA has adopted, on a proposal by its Third Committee, a set of important resolutions on a wide range of human rights, social and humanitarian issues, including three country resolutions, as well as the Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, |
E. |
whereas, thanks to the ‘Delivering as One’ initiative and the work of the two co-facilitators, tangible progress has been achieved, pragmatically, in pursuing some of the System-Wide Coherence reforms of the UN; whereas it is necessary to consolidate achievements and to make further progress in the areas identified by the 63rd UNGA, |
F. |
whereas failure to reform bodies such as the UN Security Council and the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) could lead to informal groupings such as the G8 or G20 attempting to substitute themselves for global institutional arrangements, |
G. |
whereas the European Union must promote what it firmly believes are universal values, while making efforts to avoid the polarisation of positions, |
H. |
whereas, on the other hand, cooperation between the United Nations Secretariat and EU institutions has never been so close and reflects the shared values, goals and interests of the two organisations, |
I. |
whereas the operational capacity of the United Nations in the field of peace and security activities needs to be further strengthened, and whereas EU/UN cooperation in peace-keeping constitutes a cornerstone of global peace and security, |
J. |
whereas there is an increasing number of fatalities among UN peace-keepers, and whereas all possible measures must be taken to protect these workers, |
K. |
whereas the EU and the US are strategic partners and it is in their mutual interest to confront together common threats and challenges in the new global scenario, on the basis of international law and multilateral institutions, in particular the UN; whereas the statement made by the new US Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Susan Rice, appears to indicate a renewed commitment to constructive engagement with the United Nations, |
L. |
whereas the European Union indicated, in its Statement to the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) of 19 September 2008, that the following four elements of the outcome document for the Durban Review Conference would be unacceptable (the so-called EU ‘red lines’): (1) singling out one region of the world in particular; (2) reopening the 2001 Durban declaration by inserting a prohibition against ‘defamation of religion’, designed to restrict free speech and impose the censorship inherent in Islamic anti-blasphemy laws; (3) drawing up an order of priority among victims; and (4) politicising or polarising the discussion, |
M. |
whereas in the context of deepening global recession, developing countries could be set back by decades as a result of falling commodity prices, lower investment flows, financial instability and a decline in remittances, and whereas the value of existing EU aid commitments will fall by nearly USD 12 000 million a year, because they are expressed as a percentage of Member States' GDP, |
1. |
Addresses the following recommendations to the Council:
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2. |
Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council and, for information, to the Commission. |
(1) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0339.
(2) A/RES/63/24.
(3) A/RES/63/75.
(4) A/RES/63/87.
(5) A/RES/63/88.
(6) A/RES/63/168.
(7) A/RES/63/185.
(8) A/RES/63/190.
(9) A/RES/63/191.
(10) A/RES/63/239.
(11) A/RES/63/245.
(12) A/RES/63/260.
(13) A/RES/63/261.
(14) A/RES/63/264 A-C.
(15) A/RES/63/266.
(16) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2009)0021.
(17) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0639.