Despite this, the impotence of the UN in this conflict is remarkable. Just go back to February, when in the middle of a Security Council meeting, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that he was launching a “special military operation” in Ukraine. Meanwhile, in New York, diplomats continued to read pre-written statements.
Projects
In a recent speech, the US ambassador to the UN, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, expressed her support for “sensitive and credible proposals” to reform the Security Council, which today has five permanent members with the right to veto (China, the United States , France, United Kingdom and Russia) and ten non-permanent or rotating.
“We must not defend an unsustainable and obsolete status quo” but rather “show flexibility and openness in the name of greater credibility and legitimacy,” he said.
“Any permanent member that exercises the veto to defend its own acts of aggression loses moral authority and must be held accountable,” he also warned, promising that the United States would only exercise that right in “rare and extraordinary situations.”
Russia and China scoff at these words from the United States, which under George W. Bush ignored the Security Council to invade Iraq.
double rod
For Naledi Pandor, the foreign minister of South Africa, a country that has long sought a seat on the Security Council, it is hypocritical to criticize the concept of the veto solely because of how Russia uses it today.
“Some of us who have been asking for the General Assembly to have more of a voice never had support, but suddenly, today we do?” He said days ago at the CFR study center in Washington. “That’s where international law starts to mean nothing,” she added.
Thomas-Greenfield acknowledged that the United States has not always lived up to her standards, but noted that Washington has exercised its veto only four times since 2009, all but one to support Israel, compared to 26 times. made Russia.
For Richard Gowan, an analyst at the International Crisis Group, there is genuine concern in the United States about the “dysfunctions” of the Security Council.
“But it’s also a clever way to embarrass China and Russia. Because we all know that the most reluctant to reform the Council are Russia and China,” she said.
questioning
The five permanent members reflect the post-World War II power dynamic. Ukraine recently argued that Russia’s seat actually belonged to the former Soviet Union.
The strongest push to reform the Security Council came on the 60th anniversary of the end of the war, when Brazil, Germany, India and Japan jointly submitted their bids for permanent seats.
China has fiercely opposed giving a seat to another East Asian power, Japan, one of the biggest contributors to the UN after the United States.
Washington has supported Japan’s ambitions, and former President Barack Obama has expressed support for an Indian bid. But beyond words, US leaders have done little to effect change.
According to Gowan, a call by President Joe Biden for a Council review would boost reform efforts, but his perception is that Americans aren’t really clear on what they want.
“They are bringing it up to test the waters, to challenge the Chinese and the Russians. This could deflate,” she said.
Diplomatic experts doubt that there can be a reform of the Security Council while Russia and China see their interests in danger.
“Among those who support Ukraine against Russian aggression, this is a recurring theme,” said John Herbst, a former US diplomat who now works at the Atlantic Council think tank. “But I think the realistic prospects are very, very slim.”
AFP Agency
Source: Ambito
David William is a talented author who has made a name for himself in the world of writing. He is a professional author who writes on a wide range of topics, from general interest to opinion news. David is currently working as a writer at 24 hours worlds where he brings his unique perspective and in-depth research to his articles, making them both informative and engaging.
