Germany described the council with irony as "sleeping beauty waiting for a kiss" to refresh her

The permanent members of the Security Council are being criticized

• Since the start of the "Covid-19" epidemic, the Security Council has held few meetings devoted to combating it.

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• Macron: The Security Council "is no longer producing useful solutions."

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The five permanent members of the Security Council were criticized during a discussion session organized by the United Nations General Assembly, about the future of this body that is paralyzed by its "conflicting interests."

The President of the United Nations General Assembly, Volkan Bozkir, said the day before yesterday, "The council failed on several occasions to assume its responsibility in maintaining international peace and security," without giving concrete examples.

The former Turkish minister added: "The conflicting interests of its members and the frequent use of the veto has limited the effectiveness of the Security Council."

Only the five permanent members have veto power, and they are the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China and the United Kingdom.

These criticisms directed at a body that has not been subjected to reform for decades add to those of French President Emmanuel Macron, who said in an interview Monday with "Le Grand Continent" that the council "no longer produces useful solutions."

“Even in some of the most urgent humanitarian crises, the council has failed to provide an adequate and timely response,” Bozkir said.

This is a serious setback to the founding principles of the United Nations and our joint efforts to build a peaceful world. ”

He stressed that "if the United Nations is in need of deeper reforms, it is clear that reforming the Security Council is inevitable, and at the same time difficult and necessary."

Since the start of the "Covid-19" epidemic, the Security Council has held few meetings devoted to combating it.

It took more than three months to overcome the differences between the United States and China, to pass a resolution on July 1 calling for more international cooperation, and supporting the Secretary-General's call for a ceasefire in countries in conflict to facilitate the fight against the virus.

During the discussions, the 193 member states of the United Nations touched on the issue of veto power, as well as the expansion of the Security Council and its regional representation.

Deep differences that do not herald a positive resumption of the talks that have been going on for 13 years on reforming this body continued.

The veto is a "sensitive" topic

Algeria considered that every new member of an expanded council should obtain the right of veto, but the United States and Russia, which have used this right 15 times since 2011 in the Syrian file alone, are against that.

"The United States remains open to a moderate expansion of the Security Council," said US diplomat Nguy Nguy.

The representative of the largest country contributing to the financing of the international organization stated that "this must be done without modifying or expanding the right of veto."

"Ideas that erode the powers of the permanent members of the Security Council, especially the right of veto, are unacceptable," the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Anna Evstihneva, said.

She added that resorting to the veto and threatening to use it "spared the United Nations many times from engaging in suspicious adventures."

Britain indicated that it had not used its veto power "since 1989", while France expressed its support for a council that includes 25 countries, without expressing an opinion on granting the right of veto to new countries, which it considered "a sensitive issue."

On his part, Chinese Ambassador Jean John denounced the "exaggerated representation of developed countries," calling for a greater presence for small and medium-sized countries, especially African ones.

"More than 60 countries have never been a member of the Security Council, and some small countries are only able to participate in it every 50 years," he said.

The UN Security Council, which has the power to impose international sanctions and resort to force in the world, includes 15 members. In addition to the five permanent members, it includes 10 non-permanent states that participate in it for a term of two years, and half of them are renewed every year.

Germany described the Security Council with sarcasm, saying that it is "sleeping beauty waiting for a kiss" to refresh her.

Germany is a candidate for a permanent seat on the Security Council, along with Brazil, Japan and India.

On the other hand, Africa is seeking to obtain two seats without yet specifying which of its countries will occupy them.

• In some of the most urgent humanitarian crises, the Council has failed to provide an adequate and timely response. This is a serious setback to the founding principles of the United Nations and our joint efforts to build a peaceful world.

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