§ Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, at the forthcoming Intergovernmental Conference, the Government will seek to amend Article III-206, with particular reference to the provision that states that: When the Union has defined a position on a subject which is on the United Nations Security Council agenda, those member states which sit on the Security Council shall request that the Union Minister for Foreign Affairs be asked to present the Union's position; and if he will make a statement. [131512]
§ Mr. MacShaneThe Government will not seek to change the aforementioned provision in Article III-206 at the Intergovernmental Conference. This Article allows for a continuation of the current practice, in line with the Security Council's Rules of Procedure, whereby the Presidency can speak at open meetings of the Council. Under the new Treaty, the European Foreign Minister instead of the Presidency will represent the Union where non-members of the Council are permitted to speak and when the Union has defined a common position on the subject of the meeting.
The UK retains the right to speak in a national capacity as a permanent member of the Security Council. This is safeguarded in Art III-206.2, which states that
Member States which are members of the Security Council will, in the execution of their functions, defend the positions and the interests of the Union, without prejudice to their responsibilities under the provisions of the United Nations Charter".The Government would not accept the any proposal that meant giving up its permanent membership of the UN Security Council and the rights which go with that.