Pakistan stresses equitable representation on UNSC

Pakistan’s UN Ambassador Abdullah Hussain Haroon said on Friday that mere addition of permanent members on the powerful Security Council would not bring about the much-needed reform of the 15-member body. “We basically believe that accountability and democracy should be the main elements for the Security Council reform process,” he said.

The Security Council currently has five veto-wielding permanent members from Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States and 10 non-permanent members elected for two-year terms. Despite the general agreement on enlarging the council, as part of the UN reform process, member states remain sharply divided over the details, most of them sticking to their positions.

Responding to a question about enlarging the permanent category on the council with such countries as India and Brazil, the Pakistan envoy said enhancing the exclusive club will not exactly create the reform.

The problem, he said, was not with the Security Council, the problem was running the United Nations through the five permanent members, and that was not acceptable any more, Ambassador Haroon said that the United Nations would survive only on the basis of equitable representation. “We’re no where that,” he said.

The Security Council reform could ensure equitable representation by handing back some of the powers to the General Assembly where they actually belong, the Pakistan envoy added. Some third world diplomats backed Ambassador Haroon’s remarks, especially about the need for equitable representation on the Security Council.

They said that the aspirants of permanent seats on the council – India, Brazil, Germany and Japan – have virtually reduced the whole question of Security Council reform to mere enlargement and categories – ignoring other important issues like working methods, question of veto, regional representation and relationship between the General Assembly and the Security Council.

Pakistan, which heads the “Uniting for Consensus” (UfC) group, opposes any expansion of the permanent members on the Security Council. It seeks enlargement of the council to 25 seats, with 10 new non-permanent members who would be elected for two-year terms, with the possibility of immediate re-election. In April 2009, Pakistan also backed a proposal, tabled by Italy and Columbia, which would create a new category of members – not permanent members – with three to five years duration and a possibility to get re-elected.