M A I N   N E W S

No new veto powers in expanded UN Security Council
T.R. Ramachandran
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan today categorically said India’s aspirations for a seat in the Security Council were legitimate even as the five permanent members were unwilling to create any additional veto.

“It is not going to be possible to remove veto from the permanent five and the proposal on the table does not provide veto power to the new members in an expanded UNSC,” he observed at a media interface here.

The five permanent members are the US, Russia, France, Britain and China.

At the same time, attempts at reforming the UN to meet the challenges of the 21st century called for democratising the Security Council so that “voices of other regions are heard,” Mr Annan said.

The proposal was to have new permanent members of the UNSC without the veto power. However, if changes were to be effected to enable new permanent members to have veto rights then it was for the member states to decide, he said.

He said discussions were taking place on two options with regard to the UNSC expansion. “I cannot have a preference for either of the two options or express an opinion which member state should be in the UNSC.”

Asked for his comments about the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT) being discriminatory and the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) having failed to achieve its objective, the Secretary General said a review of the NPT was on the anvil to assess “where we are and where we want to go. It is imperative to live up to the treaty that we sign.”

Commending the forward movement in the Indo-Pak peace process, Mr Annan said it was making tremendous progress and making a pitch for peace in South Asia.

Simultaneously, he had no doubt that the Sino-Indian strategic partnership would have a “salutary effect on huge parts of the world”.

He noted that the presence of the UN Military Observer Group formed part of the Indo-Pak peace efforts. “We will look into how to handle our presence and see what the role of the UN observers should be.”

Taking note of India’s efforts in knitting the continents of Asia and Africa as evidenced in Jakarta recently, Mr Annan acknowledged New Delhi’s important role in the United Nations.

On events in Nepal, he said he had impressed upon King Gyanendra to ensure the return of Kathmandu to constitutional rule as early as possible. It was also important that political parties were allowed to resume their activities and “I hope this will happen”.

On arms supplies to Nepal, the Secretary General emphasised that the UN discouraged transfer or shipment of arms to any area of conflict as it exacerbated the situation. The judgement in this regard had to be made by the government concerned, he opined.

The UN could provide humanitarian assistance and despatch a human rights team to Nepal for a first-hand account of what was happening on the ground. “We are also in touch with friends of Nepal and the kingdom’s neighbours, including India.”

About Iran’s nuclear programme, Mr Annan said it would be “unwise” to take physical (read armed) intrusion in that country. Germany, the UK and France were having serious discussions with Teheran. He expressed confidence that it would produce results as Iran was cooperating “fairly well”.

UN policies need major hauling: Annan
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 28
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan today drew attention to the important aspect of the composition of the Security Council coupled with making major adjustments in policies and institutions so that people are protected against the threats to their well-being, security and fundamental rights.

Rebutting suggestions that the concerns of developing countries have received short shrift in his report for reforming the UNSC, Mr Annan stressed that the “heart of our agenda should be the fight against disease, poverty and hunger, which are the greatest killers of our time”.

Delivering a lecture here on “In Larger Freedom — the changing role of the United Nations”, Mr Annan touched upon reaching the goals by making a quantum leap in resources for development, ensuring gender equality, better resource management, essential health services, education, science and technology, development-oriented trade system as well as wider and deeper debt relief.

He said it was in this context that he had called upon developed countries to commit themselves to a timetable that by 2015 they would earmark 70 cents out of every $ 100 of gross national income for official development aid.

He also implored the international community to provide resources for an expanded and comprehensive response to HIV/AIDS. “It is good to see India doing this and helping other developing countries notably in Africa by producing essential medicines.”

“I believe the Security Council should adopt a resolution setting out the principles for the use of force. This approach should guide decisions across the array of threats including genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.”

More than the need for consensus, there must be more effective instruments to strengthen our security and protect basic human rights. “No part of humanity feels this need more acutely than the citizens of the developing world.”

He had no doubt that the developing world would benefit from the United Nations Democracy Fund, which India is supporting.

“It is in the interest of all that the world adopt a comprehensive strategy against terrorism starting with a clear definition of terrorism covering all deliberate attacks on civilians for political ends.”

Mr Annan underlined the need for making progress both in disarmament and halting proliferation as people in developing countries are “all too likely to be the first victims of nuclear weapons”.

He suggested the enlargement of the Security Council and creation of two new inter-governmental bodies — a Peacebuilding Commission and a Human Rights Council.