UN to vote on measure pushing permanent members to justify veto use

UN to vote on measure pushing permanent members to justify veto use
April 26, 2022, 10:19 am

United Nations/Pixabay

The Channel News Asia reported, citing Reuters, the 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly will vote on Tuesday (Apr 26) on a resolution that would require the five permanent members of the Security Council to justify their use of the veto in future.

Discussions of veto reform are rare and controversial, but have been revived by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Directly targeting the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom - who are the only holders of the veto right - the measure would "make them pay a higher political price" when they opt to use their veto to strike down a Security Council resolution, said an ambassador from a country that does not have the veto, and who asked to remain anonymous.

Critics call the measure, introduced by Liechtenstein, a "simple procedural reform".

Photo: United Nations Security Council members vote on a resolution during a meeting at UN headquarters in New York

But it is not yet clear if the reform would push the five permanent members to use the veto less, or if it would create even more vetoes as permanent members propose controversial texts they know their rivals will to veto only to force them to justify their stance publicly.

According to the text, first proposed more than two years ago, the measure provides for the General Assembly to be convened within 10 working days after a permanent member uses a veto "to hold a debate on the situation as to which the veto was cast."

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Around sixty countries have joined Liechtenstein in co-sponsoring the reform, including the United States, a rapid rally of support that caused widespread surprise at the UN.

Source: cna

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