UNITED NATIONS, The UN General Assembly Tuesday adopted a draft decision, by consensus, paving the way to continue intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) on restructuring the Security Council during its 76th session after the aspirants of permanent seats on the 15-member body \u2014 India, Brazil, Germany and Japan \u2014 withdrew their amendment that was aimed at shaping the reform process to work for them.<\/p>\n
The move to drop the amendment that sought to make an \u201celements paper\u201d on areas of divergence and convergence \u2014 drafted by the representatives of Poland and Qatar in their capacity as co-chairs of the negotiations \u2014 a basis for future discussions was seen as a big setback to the so-called Group of Four which, since 2009, has been aggressively campaigning for a seat on UN\u2019s high table.<\/p>\n
Routinely adopted by consensus every year, the amendment was the focus of heated debate when it was introduced on June 16 by Brazil on behalf of its allies. The text faced strong opposition from a wide majority of member states, including the African, Arab and Italy\/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group, which opposes any expansion in the permanent category.<\/p>\n
China and Russia also spoke out against the G-4 amendments.<\/p>\n
Amid tensions at Tuesday\u2019s meeting, Qatar\u2019s UN Ambassador Alya bint Ahmed Al Thani proposed an oral amendment to include a reference to the commitment by Heads of State and Government made in their Declaration of the Commemoration of UN\u2019s 75th Anniversary to \u201cinstill new life\u201d into the long-running negotiations. The acceptance of her proposal paved the way for the 193-member Assembly to overcome deadlock and proceed by consensus.<\/p>\n
Pakistan\u2019s UN Ambassador Munir Akram lauded his Qatar counterpart\u2019s proposal, adding, \u201cOur exchanges of the past few days have also reaffirmed that the only way that progress can be made towards agreement on Security Council reform is through \u2018consensus\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pakistan, he said, is happy that the amendments put forward by G-4 were not put to a vote. Had they been, the Pakistani envoy said, the results would have been disastrous.<\/p>\n
\u201cThroughout the IGN\u2019s meetings this year, the proceedings have been repeatedly marred by aggressive demands of certain delegations, inflexibly pressed time and time again, for acceptance of their unequal and inequitable goals (UNSC\u2019s permanent membership),\u201d Ambassador Akram said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut as has been demonstrated in the General Assembly today and last week, the membership of the General Assembly does not endorse their \u2018sense of entitlement\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Pakistani envoy added that the proceedings of the intergovernmental negotiations have been marred by the aggressive demands of G-4 delegations. Procedural manoeuvring cannot circumvent the fact that Council reform can only come about through a two-thirds majority vote of Assembly members.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hope that we have seen the last of pressure tactics and manoeuvres,\u201d he said, referring to G-4 push for UNSC\u2019s permanent membership.<\/p>\n
Ambassador Akram also expressed \u201cdeep appreciation\u201d to the President of UN General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, for his firm, efficient, transparent and sagacious leadership, and regretted that some G-4 members had made critical statement about him.<\/p>\n
Russia\u2019s UN Ambassador Nebenzia Vassily Alekseevic said that Qatar\u2019s proposal has helped the Assembly avoid \u201cradical amendments\u201d that would have deprived the draft decision of consensus, which was on the verge of breakdown.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was due to the ambitions of certain countries which were not submitted by the realities of the agreement of all members of the General Assembly, he said in an obvious reference to G-4 tactics.<\/p>\n
Hopefully, the Russian envoy added, everyone will draw a lesson from what has happened. What was at stake was not only preserving what has been achieved this year, but in years past, as well, he said, stressing the need to maintaining the current negotiating format.<\/p>\n
The Security Council, which is responsible for maintaining international peace and security, has 15 seats. It includes 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms that come from all regions of the world, and there are five permanent members with veto power whose support is essential for any reform to be adopted \u2014 the US, Russia, China, Britain and France.<\/p>\n
The process to restructure the Security Council is being conducted since 2009 in the Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN), a forum established by the UN General Assembly, which operates on the basis of consensus. The negotiations have made little progress because of G-4\u2019s refusal to show any flexibility.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
UNITED NATIONS, The UN General Assembly Tuesday adopted a draft decision, by consensus, paving the way to continue intergovernmental negotiations (IGN) on restructuring the Security Council during its 76th session after the aspirants of permanent seats on the 15-member body \u2014 India, Brazil, Germany and […]<\/p>\n
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