Paris Peace Forum: Dr. Sharei, Executive Director of the Center for United Nations Constitutional Research explains the possibility of reviewing the UN Charter by resorting to Article 109, while Hasegawa calls for transformation of the global system just as the Japanese leaders transformed the governance structure of Japan during the Meiji Revolution. (12/11/2018)

　Sharei and Hasegawa engaged in debate on how the Charter review process can be started, while Francisco Plancarte, a Mexican lawyer and long-time promoter of UN transformation according to Art. 109 called for the creation of a global parliament.

　The San Francisco Promise Group assembled at the Paris Peace Forum and proposed that member states initiate the process of reviewing the present Charter which can be done by a two-thirds vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a simple vote of any seven members of the Security Council. The process does not require the approval of all the permanent members of the Security Council, although any change in the Charter requires the recommendation by a two-thirds vote of the conference and the ratification by two-thirds of the Members of the United Nations including all the permanent members of the Security Council.

　Dr. Sharei, Executive Director of the Center for United Nations Constitutional Research, Article 109 (3) explained that the proposal to call such a review conference was placed on the agenda of the General Assembly, as was the promise of San Francisco Promise, in 1955. Then according to Art. 109(3), and the conference was adopted as GA Resolution 992(X) which was also adopted by the Security Council. Therefore, legally the United Nations is obligated to hold the review conference, which could simultaneously address several UN reform issues. However, this review conferenced, which was negotiated by the UN founders in San Francisco, up to today, has not been held.

　The participants of the Paris Peace Forum listened to GPAJ Hasegawa explaining the role played by Japanese leaders in transforming the governance structure of Japan during the Meiji Revolution.

　Hasegawa also mentioned the vital role played by women in preventing a civil war between the Tokugawa Shogun followers and the anti-Tokugawa warriors led by Saigo Takamori and succeeded in the peaceful transfer of power from the Tokugawa to the new Meiji Government.

　The San Francisco Promise Group met with the executive members of the Swedish Global Challenges Foundation based in Stockholm about the possibility of expanding the movement.

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1. A General Conference of the Members of the United Nations for the purpose of reviewing the present Charter may be held at a date and place to be fixed by a two-thirds vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any seven members of the Security Council. Each Member of the United Nations shall have one vote in the conference.
2. Any alteration of the present Charter recommended by a two-thirds vote of the conference shall take effect when ratified in accordance with their respective constitutional processes by two-thirds of the Members of the United Nations including all the permanent members of the Security Council.
3. If such a conference has not been held before the tenth annual session of the General Assembly following the coming into force of the present Charter, the proposal to call such a conference shall be placed on the agenda of that session of the General Assembly, and the conference shall be held if so decided by a majority vote of the members of the General Assembly and by a vote of any seven members of the Security Council.