PERMANENT MISSION OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA TO THE UNITED NATIONS 315 Lexington Avenue New York N.Y. 10016 (212) 689-7215 U FAX (212) 689-9093

STATEMENT BY THE CUBAN DELEGATION AT THE MEETING OF THE OPEN ENBED WORKING GROUP ON ITEM 121 "REVITALIZATIC)N 0 THE WORK OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY", New York, 21 February 20013
Mr. 60 Chair.
My delegation associates itself with the statement made by Algeria on behalf of the Non-Aligned Movement and wants to renew the congratulations to the new co chairs, Ambassadors of Paraguay and Poland, to chair the Ad Hoc working Group on revitalization of the work of the General Assembly. Also, my delegation would like to welcome the Report of the Secretary General on this issue, dated 21 December 2007. Mr. 60 Chair,

The revitalization of the General Assembly is a decisive element for a true reform of the United Nations. We cannot talk about an organization with more democratic and effective action if the General Assembly does not fully exercise the power that the Charter gives it. This process should reaffirm the central role of the General Assembly as the chief deliberative, policy-making and representative organ of the United Nations, as it is recognized by the Charter and the Millennium Declaration.
We uphold the view that the open-ended working group on the revitalization of the General Assembly should aim its works toward a real and effective rmplementation of resolutions already adopted by the General Assembly on this issue and to identify ways to enhance the role, authority, effectiveness and efficiency of the Assembly, as mandated by Resolution 611292. It IS necessary that the revitalization of the General Assembly takes the real will of the States to work jo~ntly, gradually achieving concrete results The revitalization process should lead the Assembly strengthens its characteristics of independence and of an organ for comprehensive

I
I

debate, where the freedom of its Mernber States to address the issues of their interest are not restricted or limited. We underscore the need to achieve an adequate balance among the principal organs of the UN, in accordance with the Charter, as well as that the Member States of the Organization to put an end to any attempt to transfer General Assembly agenda items to the Security Council. the Security Council must: stridly abide by the Charter's provisions, as well as all resol~ltians the General Assembly as the main organ of of the United Nations and it must stop meddling into questions that are clearly comprehended within the functions and powers of other UN principal organs and their subsidiary bodies.

ru\e-sand

My delegation would like to state its concern at the establishment of

definitions by the Security Council that exceed its competence, disregarding that, in accordance with article 13 of the Charter, the General Assembly has the primary responsibility for the progressive development of International Law and its codification.

The Presidents of the General Assembly, ECOSOC ahd the Security Council must carry out regular debates and coordinate among them with regard to the agenda and working plan of their respective principal organs so as to establish an increasing coherence and complementariness among them, in a manner mutually reinforcing and respectful of the mandates of each one of them, avoidihg duplications of the works and encroachment in the functions assigned to them. Cuba further hope that as a result of such process, the interaction between the Secretariat and the General Assembly will strengthen, so that the former can answer in a more effective manner to the mandates that the Member States. I conclude my statement reiterating that in this complex yet necessary revitalization process, the Assembly can count on the Cuban delegation's full willingness and constructive participation. Thank you