A NEW mediation body for the United Nations is one of the main proposals in the section of the White Paper on the UN. The Security Council and the General Assembly are not always the most suitable instruments for direct mediation in international conflicts, it says.
"The Mediation Body would be an expert body elected by the General Assembly and having available to it the services of senior personnel on a full time basis," says the White Paper.
On other major issues of UN reform the White Paper comes out decisively in favour of enlarging the Security Council, including the number of permanent members.
Equally emphatic is a declaration that Ireland does not favour extending the use of the veto, so often blamed for paralysing the decision making capacity of the Security Council.
Even under existing UN Charter provisions the Government supports curbing the use of the veto by the "big five" permanent members.
A more representative Security Council, more responsive to the concerns of the general membership is called for.
The main features of the Government's position are
. Ireland wants balanced enlargement of the Security Council to improve the representation of developed and developing nations.
. Enlargement must be based on a balanced regional distribution of new permanent members.
. Ireland does not favour extending the use of the veto, and supports efforts to confine its potential use by existing permanent members to the imposition of sanctions and other enforcement measures under Chapter VII of the Charter.
Ireland supports recent efforts to ensure greater consultation between the Security Council and the general membership, says the White Paper, calling for improved consultations with troop contributing countries better consultations with those directly involved in or affected by a dispute and a more transparent system for the imposition and application of sanctions.
On the funding of the UN the White Paper says "The crisis in the organisation's finances is one of the most serious constraints on the effective operation of the United Nations.
"As of the end of December 1995, the UN was owed some $3.3 billion by member states, $1.7 billion of which related to peacekeeping operations. Signifying its commitment to the UN, Ireland is consistently amongst the minority of member states which pay their assessed contribution in full and on time."
A new Interdepartmental Liaison Group will "ensure a more focussed national position in the various UN bodies".
Membership of the Security Council should be open to all. Ireland served on the Security Council for a part term in 1962 and for a full term in 1981-82. Ireland will again seek election to the Council in the year 2000.