Statement by Ms. Misako Kaji, Minister
Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations
Agenda item 117: Programme budget for the biennium 2006-2007
Strengthened and unified security management system for the United Nations
Fifth Committee
Sixty-first Session of the United Nations General Assembly
6 March 2007

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

My delegation would like to thank Sir David Veness, the USG for the Department of Safety and Security, for introducing the reports of the Secretary General. We would also like to thank Mr. Rajat Saha, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for introducing the report of that body.

Mr. Chairman,

At its fifty-ninth session, the General Assembly adopted a resolution establishing the Department of Safety and Security. This was an important step toward achieving a unified security standard system-wide. In the resolution, the Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit to it at its next session a comprehensive report on the progress of implementation. We therefore welcome the introduction of the report, regardless of the fact that it took more time to prepare than we expected. We also took note of the other reports introduced this morning.

We would like to take this opportunity to touch upon some of the issues that interest us. On the issue of review of posts, we would like to receive more clarification from the Secretariat as to why the introduction of technology has had no effect in reducing the number of security officers. We are not totally persuaded by the explanation provided in the Annex of the report of the Advisory Committee. On the review of the level of deputy to the USG, we agree with the Advisory Committee that this issue should be taken up in the context of the next biennial budget. We should keep in mind what the performance reports were originally intended for.

Mr. Chairman,

On the issue of the Secretary-General's proposal to establish a crisis management capability, we share the intention of the Department's willingness to gradually taking on a leading role in crisis response and crisis management for the United Nations system. Nevertheless we would be interested in finding out about the outcome of the review conducted by the Department on the operation of an interim team and expected coverage of such capability. While acknowledging the importance of achieving compliance with the minimum operating standards of the UN Headquarters, we would also like to receive detailed information on the second phase of the process creating standardized access control and the proposed date report is to be submitted to the General Assembly at its sixty-second session.

Lastly, my delegation would like to reiterate its support for the principle of cost-sharing in the area of maintaining the safety and security of the United Nations personnel. We will participate constructively in the coming informal consultations on all the issues before us.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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