This Tuesday (26), the 193 countries of the UN General Assembly will vote on a resolution compelling the five permanent members of the Security Council to justify their veto objection, a reform that was resumed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The measure, which directly affected the five countries with veto power—China, the United States, France, the United Kingdom and Russia—was encouraged by Liechtenstein to “make them pay a higher political price” when they decided to use the veto, a diplomatic source who asked not to be named said.
But critics of the initiative say it’s a “simple procedural reform”. Will it help the five permanent members of the Council make less use of this privilege that more and more countries are objecting to?
The reform, first proposed two and a half years ago, allows the General Assembly to meet “to hold a debate within 10 working days of the opposition of one or more permanent members of the Security Council to hold a debate on what status the veto is expressed”, the proposed text specifies.
To the surprise of the UN and its closest allies, nearly 60 countries, including the United States, co-sponsor the Liechtenstein initiative. Britain and France are expected to vote in favor of reform, but have chosen not to co-sponsor.
Russia and China did not disclose their positions, but they are not among the sponsors of the text.
“It will further divide the UN,” said one diplomat from one of these countries, who asked not to be named.
The bill “creates a new procedure”, argues Liechtenstein ambassador Christian Wenaweser, who assures the measure “is not against anyone”.
“It’s not aimed at Russia,” he insists, even though the proposed vote, after more than two years of unsuccessful rule, coincided with the Security Council’s decision to halt the Russian invasion because of Moscow’s veto power. international mobilization
Since the Soviet Union first used its veto power over a dispute between Syria and Lebanon in 1946, Moscow has used the measure 143 times, ahead of the United States (86), the United Kingdom (30), and China and France (18 times). . each one).
source: Noticias
