ISLAMABAD: The countries, including India, aspiring for permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in undemocratic manner and enjoying Washington’s support will exploit United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) upcoming session commencing next month in the UN headquarters.
Pakistan and its group’s members who are fighting for the UNSC expansion on democratic lines will resist the move sponsored by other group tooth and nail. It is likely Pakistan will be represented through new team leader would put up its case in effective manner. The new leadership in Pakistan will also avail the opportunity to create positive impression about its approach and patron across the world.
While highlighting Kashmir dispute Pakistan will also offer an olive branch to India in the World Parliament. Terrorism, Afghanistan, Taliban and Daesh will be the issue believed to be centre of discussion in the UNGA and world would aspire to hear Pakistan’s standpoint on the entire contentious subject from new leader coming from the most important country of South Asia. The scenario will enhance the responsibilities of Pakistan’s mission in the UN, headed by an experienced and perceptive diplomat Ambassador Dr Maleeha Lodhi, who has created an impression in the corridors of the World Body and leading the group asking for UN reforms on democratic pattern.
She turned out to be a success story in this regard, and it is understood that India that will be represented by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be appearing for the last time in his incumbent stint in the UNGA, desperate to acquire permanent membership of the UNSC so that it could help in elevation his stature in next year’s polls back in India. It is believed that Dr Maleeha Lodhi, with her diplomatic acumen and all round experience, would be present in New York to introduce New Pakistan and its leaders to the world during UNGA. Pakistan has been criticising the aspirants for permanent seats in an expanded UN Security Council – India, Brazil, Germany and Japan – for opposing reform of the 15-member body based on the principles of democracy, and vowed to resist any move that serves the interests of a few countries to the detriment of the larger membership.
Dr Lodhi, in her recent interaction, maintained that “We will continue to uphold values of democracy, equal opportunity and non-discrimination for as long as it takes, but we will not be complicit in any exercise that places narrow self-serving interests of a few over the collective good of the larger UN membership.” Ambassador Lodhi told an interactive session of the deadlocked Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) in New York recently and said that “We all agree on practicing democracy at home, but some argue against it at the UN,” the Pakistani envoy said while dealing with the points rose during the debate.
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 the four countries push for permanent seats while Italy/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) group firmly oppose any additional permanent members. As a compromise, the UfC has proposed a new category of members--not permanent members--with longer duration and a possibility to get re-elected once.