Mr. President,

The delegation of the Federated States of Micronesia welcomes this opportunity to make comments on the report of the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change. Towards that end, my delegation associates itself with the comments made earlier by the distinguished Permanent Representative of Samoa as Chair of the Pacific Island Forum Group and the statement made by the distinguished Permanent Representative of Jamaica on behalf of G77 and China.

Mr. President,

The report of the High Level Panel on Threats, Challenges, and Change indeed contributes immensely to our ongoing debate on the reform of our Organization. It provides many practical and concrete recommendations for consideration by member states.

The reform of the United Nations is a very delicate and complex issue with many different variables involved. It affects the very nature in which the United Nations operates. We must be bold and take the necessary actions if our Organization is to remain relevant and better conforms to present day realities. We all share an interest in a reformed and revitalized United Nations.

Mr. President,

The issue of a reformed United Nations, and particularly, the reform of the United Nations Security Council, has always been of interest to my delegation. My Government’s long held views have always been to make the Council more representative and legitimate, and the opportunity has come to do just that.

We fully agree with the Panel’s expressed view for an enlargement of the Council. An expanded Council must truly be representative and include both categories of permanent and non-permanent members. In the same vein, we fully support the notion of an equitable number of seats for the developing world. We lend our support also to the notion that involvement in the Security Council decision-making process must include those countries who contribute most to the Organization. The Federated States of Micronesia remains of the view that countries like Japan, who has consistently contributed significantly to this Organization, deserves a permanent seat on a reformed Security Council. We believe also that Germany and India and possibly others must be included as permanent members.

The Panel’s clearly defined alternatives as presented in the two Models are an additional welcome to our debate. For Micronesia, the Panel’s proposal as laid out in “Model A” presents the best alternative under which the Council would be enlarged. In our view, “Model A” captures the diversity of views and garners wide support among the views already expressed by many on this important issue.

Before closing, Mr. President, I would like to stress once again the necessity for this august body to move forward on this issue, and give fresh consideration to reform the Security Council, and the whole United Nations for that matter. Let us not look upon the reforms as a threat to the status quo, but as a necessity to progress towards the betterment of our Organization.

I thank you Mr. President.