Annex XXIX
Previously issued as A/AC.247/1998/CRP.14/Rev.1.
Conference room paper submitted by the Bureau of the Open-ended Working Group: summary of the proposals on the issue of the majority required for taking decisions on Security Council reform, dated 2 July 1998
A. Decisions of the General Assembly on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council
1. Any decision of the General Assembly on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council containing proposals for amendments to the Charter shall be taken in accordance with Article 108 of the Charter.
2. In the event that the decision described above is preceded by draft resolutions bearing on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council, the following approaches were suggested with regard to the majority required in the Assembly's decision-making process:
(a) Any resolution with Charter amendment implications must be adopted by the two-thirds majority referred to in Article 108 of the Charter;
(b) The adoption of any resolution with Charter amendment implications needs to comply faithfully with the provisions of Article 108 of the Charter;
(c) Any decision on important questions of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Council shall be made by a two-thirds majority of the members present and voting, as prescribed in Article 18, paragraph 2, of the Charter.
B. General agreement
3. When this matter was discussed in the past, reference was made to General Assembly resolution 48/26 of 3 December 1993 and its last preambular paragraph, which reads: "Mindful of the importance of reaching general agreement".
4. Significant convergence of views has emerged that any decision of the General Assembly on the issue covered by the mandate of the Open-ended Working Group should enjoy as broad support as possible by the United Nations membership.
5. Proposals on specific numerical majorities were advanced by some delegations.