Statement by Mr. Alexander Pankin, First Deputy Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations at the meeting of the UN General Assembly on agenda item 119 “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters”
Mr. President,
The reform of the UN Security Council is one of the most important issues on the agenda of this world organization since it deals with the body which under the UN Charter bears the main responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. The efficiency of its work and the UN on the whole, and the architecture of international security will depend much on the final result of the reform of the Security Council.
We congratulate the Permanent
Representative of
Mr. President,
Any ideas that lead to infringing upon the prerogatives of the current SC Permanent Members including the right of veto are unacceptable to us. It should be recalled that the institution of veto is an important factor that encourages the members of the Council to search for balanced solutions. It would be incorrect both historically and politically to encroach upon it.
Mr. President,
The debate on how to reform the Security Council has been going on for a number of years and quite uneasily. Ten rounds of intergovernmental negotiations have been held so far. The member states managed to move forward on some of reform issues but a universal solution that would satisfy everyone has not been in sight yet.
We fully support the opinion voiced several times from this podium that the process of reforming the Security Council should be “the property” of all member states without exception and its final formula should enjoy the widest support of the members of this organization. If consensus on this issue is not possible to achieve, then in any case it will be politically necessary to guarantee the support by a substantially greater number of member states than the legally required two thirds majority of votes at the General Assembly.
We strongly believe that the issue of the reform of the Security Council cannot be addressed simply by “arithmetical method” by putting on vote that or another models to obtain the minimum required votes. The result thus obtained would hardly add to the authority and effectiveness of the Security Council let alone be instrumental to strengthening this global organization. It will be just the opposite.
That being said we are prepared to consider any reasonable option of expanding the Security Council including the so-called “intermediate solution”, which is actually a compromise solution, provided that this option enjoys the widest possible consent at the UN.
However, the way the negotiations
have been going on so far does not allow us to say that we have got closer to elaborating
a universal formula of the Security Council reform that would obtain a widest
possible support. The approaches continue to differ substantially and at times diametrically
oppose each other. Under these circumstances we do not see any alternative to
continuing a patient work during the current
In conclusion, let us not forget what matters the most: the progress in reforming the Security Council depends only on the political will of member states and their willingness to reach a reasonable compromise. We call on everybody to follow this fundamental principle.
Thank you.
