Security Council exceeding mandate: India

[Ulhas Joglekar]

18 December 1999
Council exceeding mandate: India
UNITED NATIONS: India has strongly criticised the Security Council for
trying to go beyond its mandate in dealing with humanitarian crisis, and has
urged developing nations to show political will to forge a consensus on
expanding Council membership to make it conform to democratic norms.
Addressing the United Nations General Assembly session on expansion of the
Security Council Thursday, New Delhi's ambassador Kamalesh Sharma made a
strong case for India's permanent membership, asserting that it is qualified
on any objective criteria.
Warning the Council against going beyond its mandate in the United Nations
Charter, Sharma said, ``A Security Council, which is unrepresentative and
undemocratic, can neither preserve international peace and security nor
legitimately speak on behalf of the General Membership.''
The Council should certainly not try to stretch the limits of what is
politically acceptable to the member states, he told the 188-member
Assembly. Sharma, who made one of the most virulent attacks on the working
methods of the Council, said while on one hand it has evaded its role or let
it be usurped, on the other there are calls for greater activism on its part
to effectively tackle the humanitarian crisis.
``We have serious reservations over the Council addressing issues beyond its
competence. Unless a humanitarian crisis clearly poses a threat to
international peace and security, the Council has no role in attempts to
resolve it,'' he bluntly told the members as representatives of the five
permanent Council members watched.
Firmly rejecting any piecemeal restructuring and reform of the Council,
Sharma stressed the need for a comprehensive package which should include
expansion of Council permanent membership, improvement in its working
methods, and changes in the decision-making processes.
``Any attempt to limit this exercise to a piecemeal expansion to the
detriment of developing countries would not only weaken the Council's
credibility further, but would also nullify the basic need to impart greater
democratisation and transparency to the working of the Council,'' he said.
The Indian ambassador urged member states to address the key issues
connected with expansion and reform of the Council and not to try to skirt
them, for that would mean perpetuating an international system characterized
by inequity.
``If we were to agree to an expansion of the Security Council in
non-permanent category only or if we were to make cosmetic changes in
working methods, we would be doing disservice not only to ourselves but to
the organisation as whole,'' he told the Assembly.
Another point that Sharma stressed was that selection of permanent members
should be made by the General Assembly and all should be designated
together. However, he rejected the concept of rotating membership, saying it
would not meet the aspiration of the developing countries. (PTI)
For reprint rights: Times Syndication Service
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