WRITING YOUR POSITION PAPER Dr. Afxendiou Sachem North High School

Why do they want them? So that staff members can read them and get a feel for the direction the debate will take. It is the best way to have well prepared delegates. Well prepared delegates means better debates and higher quality of discussion.

Why would you want a position paper? Definition says it all: an essay detailing your country's policies on the topics being discussed in your committee; it is your country’s response to the topic. Forces you to write an essay detailing your country's policies on the topics being discussed in your committee. helps you organize your ideas so that you can share your country's position with the rest of the committee You can use your position paper as your opening remarks

Position Paper Specifications 1 page (a little longer is acceptable) – but… Single spaced At least 3 paragraphs. I believe in having an introduction as well so I would like to see 4 paragraphs. However, the final decision of format is up to you. Your writing must be informed by research (don’t say things that you are not sure about. If you are not sure, look it up or ask one of your teammates) If you can make connections to other countries it will make your paper stronger Show that you are knowledgeable

The process… If you feel you don’t want to follow these directions, that you can write a good, persuasive and defensible position paper without them, feel free to follow your instincts (but it must be written well)

Your introduction Identify the issue State your country’s position Question 1: What is going on, what are we discussing? Question 2: Where does [your country] stand on this issue? Question 3: What evidence (statistics, quotes) can you give to support [your country’s] stand?

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER Committee: International Labor Organization Topic: Globalization and Development Country: Romania This sample position paper was submitted by the delegation of Romania at the 2007 UNA-USA Model UN Conference in New York City.

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER PARAGRAPH 1 - INTRODUCTION In the past two decades the rapidly growing world trend has been toward globalization. With the emergence of the internet as a means of communication and the increasing accessibility of international trade physical barriers are not the only barriers withering away. Protective tariffs are plummeting and free trade agreements are becoming more prevalent. Romania appreciates that globalization creates favorable situations for expansion of commercial as well as economic assets. In the past year Romania has seen a foreign direct investment (FDI) increase of 199%. Inward FDI increased from EURO 234 million in 2005 to EURO 699 million in 2006. However, Romania realizes that increased globalization does not automatically produce more equality.

YOU MUST SHOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC! PARAGRAPH 2 Give the background of the topic (has to go beyond the background guide). YOU MUST SHOW THAT YOU UNDERSTAND THE TOPIC! Question 1: Is this a new topic or an ongoing one? Question 2: Has the UN already taken any actions, passed resolutions, made recommendations? Question 3: Who are the main players?

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER – Committee: European Union Topic: Immigration in the European Union Delegation: United Kingdom This sample position paper was submitted by the delegate representing the United Kingdom at a JHUMUN Conference

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER PARAGRAPH 2 Given the large geographical area of the European Union (EU), immigration has always been one of the topics most relevant to all EU member states. While the EU has tried to serve as a medium for economic cooperation – thereby leading to migration to increased legal migration – there has also, of course, been the problem of illegal immigration between EU member states and between EU members and non-EU states. However, the modern realities of terrorism have made illegal immigration even more of a concern for EU member nations. To date, one of the greatest advances in EU cooperation regarding immigration has been the Hague Programme. This policy covers a wide range of issues that deal with immigration policy and it has also served as the building block for many regional agreements. Nonetheless, the European Union has been unable to come up with a straightforward and agreeable policy to tackle the problem of illegal immigration. Perhaps most serious of all, the EU has also not been able to reconcile many differences among national immigration policies with common EU-wide ones.

PARAGRAPH 3 Your country’s position in more detail Question 1: What ideas does [your country’s] government support? Question 2: Why does it support those ideas? Question 3: Does your country have any support (from other countries, from past UN resolutions, decisions, etc.)? Question 4: Who presents the biggest opposition? Who has opposing views?

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER (1)– PARAGRAPH 3 Romania believes the multinational business community has the ability and the obligation to support pertinent values in human rights, labor standards, and environmental preservation. As stated by the president, Mr. Traion Basescu, Romania feels a "heartfelt attachment to multilateralism, as an effective instrument designed to identify the adequate answers to the challenges brought by globalization."

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER (2)– PARAGRAPH 3 Under a Protocol to the Treaty establishing the European Community, the United Kingdom (UK) has the right to decide whether or not it wishes to participate in measures concerning immigration and asylum (the Republic of Ireland is the only other member state in this position). To date, British policy has been to participate in measures concerning the Common European Asylum Policy (e.g. directives on refugee qualification, minimum reception standards, procedures for determining asylum claims, etc...) and measures to tackle illegal immigration. The British government has chosen not to participate in measures concerning legal migration on grounds that these could impact its ability to determine who can or cannot enter the UK legally. Furthermore, the UK does not participate in the “Schengen” arrangements that entail a lifting of border controls among certain member states. At the same time, the United Kingdom also does not participate in the Common Visa Policy (a.k.a. the EU visa waiver program) preferring instead to determine its own arrangements. In general, however, despite the United Kingdom’s reluctance to give up some of its sovereignty to the EU administration, the British government has been at the forefront of immigration reform. In fact, during its 2005 presidency, the United Kingdom chose to highlight immigration as one of the topics that needed progress.

PARAGRAPH 4 Recommendations for solutions Short term (alleviate the problem for now) Long term (how do we keep it from recurring) Question 1: What is needed to be done immediately? Question 2: Who is able to act? Question 3: What is [your country’s] proposal as to what is to be done in the short term, by whom and how? Question 4: What is needed to be done to take care of the problem for a long time, perhaps forever? Question 5: What is [your country’s] proposal as to what is to be done in the long term, by whom and how?

SAMPLE POSITION PAPER – PARAGRAPH 4 Simply put, the United Kingdom has a threefold immigration proposal. First the UK would like to see the EU play a larger role in managing migration internationally, which would mean implementing action plans with key countries on EU borders to deal with migration flows across the Mediterranean and from the East. Moreover, this policy would also include bringing forward the EU’s role in providing regional protection. The second part of the British plan is devoted to strengthening borders. The UK encourages all members to support the efforts of the European Border Agency (Frontex) to set up its risk analysis function and structures for coordinating joint operational activity. Moreover, the UK would like to see all members work on introducing biometrics into residence permits and passports. Along the same lines, the UK encourages working towards a solution for biometrics in relation to visas and cooperating on improving the security of national identity cards. Moreover, the UK would advocate that the EU work on innovative solutions to air borders and work with the European Commission (EC) to develop a joint strategy to combat human trafficking and organized immigration crime. The third part of the proposal revolves around practical co-operation on managing migration. The British government encourages the exchange of information between member states through EC proposals on a mutual information network and common approaches to the presentation of statistics. Similarly, the UK would like to see more work done in the field of asylum and the exchange.

HOW CAN YOUMAKE YOUR POSITION PAPER STRONGER? Answer all the questions of the 4 paragraphs that I gave you as a guide (but don’t limit yourself to just them) Focus your research on what is emphasized in the background guide. Sometimes it will contain questions to consider. Make sure that your position paper answers these questions Know the opposing argument Know the opposing countries Know who your allies are Know what actions have already been taken, what discussions/negotiations were held Stream line it, make it shorter without losing your arguments – write and re-write Read it out loud to yourself