Sir Jeremy Greenstock, UNA-UK's Chairman, wrote to the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office on 23 January urging the government to put forward ideas on how to improve the ability of the UN Security Council to deal effectively with crises.
In his letter, Sir Jeremy expressed the concern of UNA-UK members and supporters over the Council's failure to uphold its responsibility to protect civilians in Syria. He drew attention to the way in which the threat and use of the veto has frustrated efforts to address this and other crises, and how diplomatic paralysis undermines the UN’s standing as an arbiter of legitimacy, as well as damaging the credibility of the Council’s five permanent members (P5).
He called on the UK to play a leading role in advancing ideas to address this problem and referred to a French proposal for a voluntary 'code of conduct' on veto restraint in cases of mass atrocities. The proposal has growing support from UN member states but not the Council's other permanent members.
Baroness Warsi, Senior Minister of State with responsibility for the UN, replied on 22 February, acknowledging concerns about the dire humanitarian situation in Syria but pointing to recent action taken by the Council and last autumn's seminal chemical weapons resolution. She also highlighted robust Council action in Mali, Central African Republic and South Sudan.
With reference to the French proposal, she said that creative ideas were needed but that reform should be approached with caution. Changes should be assessed in terms of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council and the importance of the veto in keeping powerful nations engaged in UN processes.
UNA-UK believes that the issue of Security Council deadlock will continue to constrain the ability of the Council to respond to crises and urges the P5 to put more effort into thinking creatively about how to improve its effectiveness.
Click here for a briefing by UNA-UK's Alexandra Buskie, which provides detail on the French proposal and the evolution of calls for veto restraint within the UN system.
