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Statement by Mr. Masatoshi Sugiura
Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Japan to the United Nations

Agenda Item 145: Scale of assessments for the apportionment
of the expenses of United Nations peacekeeping operations

Main part of the Sixty-fourth Session
of the United Nations General Assembly
6 October 2009

Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, I wish to express my appreciation to Mr. Jun Yamazaki, Assistant-Secretary-General, Controller, for his presentation of the report of the Secretary-General on the implementation of General Assembly resolutions 55/235 and 55/236.

As the second largest financial contributor to the United Nations, Japan attaches great importance to the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of United Nations peacekeeping operations (UN PKOs) as well as the scale of assessments for the apportionment of the expenses of the United Nations (UN). Japan has paid its dues faithfully, despite its difficult economic and financial situations, which have been seriously affected by the recent world economic downturn.

Mr. Chairman,

Since the scale of assessments for UN PKOs is based on the scale of assessments for the UN, my delegation firmly believes that the discussion on the latter UN should be reflected appropriately in the discussion on the former.

As my delegation said yesterday, we should respect and adhere to the basic principle that each Member State of the United Nations should pay its assessed contribution according to its "capacity to pay." When we discuss the scale of assessments for UN PKOs, there is one more element to be considered. It is the principle of "responsibility."

Based on these two principles, my delegation will actively and constructively participate in the negotiations to ensure a comprehensive review of the scale of assessments for UN PKOs.

I thank you, Mr. Chairman.

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