Will Mellor, aged 27, believes members of the armed forces like him can bring a unique set of skills to the classroom and hopes to become a teacher after six years in the Royal Marines, serving in Sierra Leone and in Afghanistan.

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Any talk of reducing manpower might seem odd, given the recent commitments to Sierra Leone, Afghanistan and Iraq (which saw the largest call-up of reserves since the Suez crisis of 1956).

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Gen Richards has extensive operational experience in East Timor, Sierra Leone, and first-hand knowledge of the challenges in Afghanistan, gained as commander of Nato coalition forces there between 2006 and 2007.

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Also speaking today were the representatives of France, Japan, Libya, Uganda, Russian Federation, Mexico, Viet Nam, Croatia, Costa Rica, Burkina Faso, United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden (on behalf of the European Union), Israel, Brazil, Switzerland, South Africa, Finland, Liechtenstein, Canada, Papua New Guinea (on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States), Bangladesh, Germany, Australia, Italy, Republic of Korea, Ecuador, Nigeria, Argentina, Netherlands, Sierra Leone, Iceland, Afghanistan, Peru, Timor-Leste, United Republic of Tanzania and Kenya.

UN: Security Council