Examination of Witness (Numbers 520 -
524)
TUESDAY 6 JULY 1999
MR R FOWLER
520. There is golden rule in politics: never
say never.
(Mr Fowler) That is right, that was what I was trying
to get to. That clearly applies particularly at the UN. I think
it is well understood. The other reality of course is that sanctions—and
I am now dealing geopolitically—however difficult they are
to agree, are easier to enforce than to stop. There is a great
deal of talk at the UN about sunsetting or sunset clauses generally
and that we should give more thought to ending things. I do not
think anybody has ever dared add up the number of issues with
which the Security Council is seized, but we end virtually every
resolution that we pass with the paragraph that the UN Security
Council shall remain seized of this issue. It is a very thick
file.
521. You are seized by many issues.
(Mr Fowler) Exactly.
522. Do you think that the effectiveness of
UN sanctions regimes actually results from the political compromises
which you described which have to go on to get it through the
Council?
(Mr Fowler) I do.
523. They do limit the effectiveness.
(Mr Fowler) Yes; but that is reality. That is what
you can get through and that is the way we designed this organisation
called the United Nations and I certainly do not see any ground
swell of views which suggest they want some other kind of organisation.
524. Do you think there are points which we
might have overlooked in the course of our questions which you
would like to address?
(Mr Fowler) I shamelessly inserted the things I wanted
to say in questions as they occurred, so I think I have covered
most things. I guess, just to end, a comment I made earlier to
the effect that I am fairly optimistic about this task within
the constraints I mentioned as to what success is. We talked about
the Mr Fowler) Yes; correct.
Chairman: Thank you very much indeed for spending
this morning with us. It has brought to life the difficulties
you are facing but without being gloomy about it. Thank you very
much indeed.
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