Pakistan seeks end to veto power

Reaffirming its consistent policy, Pakistan has called for the abolition or severe restriction of the veto power and strongly opposed any expansion of permanent membership in the UN Security Council. Speaking in a resumed session of the long-running Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) aimed at reforming the 15-member Council, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, permanent representative of Pakistan to the UN, said that Islamabad stands for broadening non-permanent seats to counter balance the veto's blocking power. "Increased number of elected members will tilt the balance away from the permanent members," he told member states in a session devoted to discussing the 'Question of Veto'. "We firmly believe that the paralysis that we see often at the Security Council leading to inaction on crucial matters related to international peace and security stems from the misuse or abuse of the veto power by the permanent members," the Pakistani envoy said. "Any expansion of the veto or addition of new individual permanent members is firmly opposed, as more vetoes would only aggravate the problem," Ambassador Asim Ahmad said, adding, "This is a position of principle." Full-scale negotiations to reform the Security Council began in the General Assembly in February 2009 on five key areas - the categories of membership, the question of veto, regional representation, size of an enlarged Security Council, and working methods of the council and its relationship with the General Assembly. Progress towards restructuring the Security Council remains blocked as G-4 countries - India, Brazil, Germany and Japan - continue to push for permanent seats in the Council, while the Italy/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group opposes any additional permanent members. arguing it would create "new centers of privilege". As a compromise, UfC has proposed a new category of members - not permanent members - with longer duration in terms and a possibility to get re-elected. The Security Council is currently composed of five permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - and 10 non-permanent members elected to two-year terms. The IGN framework is geared towards restructuring the Council to make it more representative, effective, and accountable. "There is an overwhelming sentiment against the veto, and how actually this privilege is anachronistic today, along with the permanent membership," the Pakistani envoy said. "Yet, proposals to expand veto-wielding members persist," Ambassador Asim Ahmad noted. "How can this dichotomy be defended", the Pakistani envoy asked. "The problem cannot be the solution." Pakistan, he added, supports efforts to enhance accountability and transparency in the use of the veto, including existing mechanisms enabling the General Assembly to review and debate it. "When a permanent member blocks action that was backed by a broad majority, the veto becomes more isolated and harder to justify, increasing accountability and reputational costs." Security Council reform, he said, must be comprehensive and addressed as a single undertaking, including the question of veto, which is intricately linked to the other four clusters. "We have repeatedly heard from colleagues … the emphasis on core and agreed principles of democracy, representation, accountability, effectiveness and transparency as the foundation for reform," the Pakistani envoy noted.