On Thursday, the United States pledged to work towards reforming and expanding the United Nations Security Council to accommodate current global realities and the most geographically diverse viewpoints.

This came from the Washington delegate to the United Nations, Ambassador Linda Thomas Greenfield, at the conference held in San Francisco, on the priorities of the US administration during the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

Greenfield said - in her speech during the one-day conference - that the United States has set 6 clear principles of responsible behavior within the Security Council so that all its members must adhere to them, especially the permanent members of the Council.

The Security Council is composed of 15 states, including 5 permanent members (China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States) and 10 members elected by the General Assembly according to geographical distribution.

On the Six Principles, Greenfield said: First and foremost, we pledge to defend and act strictly in accordance with the United Nations Charter.

No council member can claim to have an exemplary record on this matter.

We are now facing an exceptional moment that requires renewed leadership in defending the Charter."

The US delegate continued, "Secondly, we will deal pragmatically with all members of the Council in order to address threats to international peace and security."

The third principle relates to refraining from using the veto except in rare and unusual cases.

In this regard, and in a strict tone, the American delegate stressed that any permanent member of the Security Council who exercises the right of veto to defend his aggressive actions will lose his moral authority and must be held accountable.

Greenfield noted that since 2009, Russia has used 26 vetoes, 12 of which have been joined by China, while the United States has used its veto only 4 times.

It is noteworthy that the United States used at least 43 veto rights in favor of Israel from 1973 to 2017.

With regard to the fourth principle, the US ambassador said that members of the Security Council must be global leaders in supporting human rights at home and abroad, and show leadership in this regard.

The fifth principle - put forward by the US delegate to the UN - relates to strengthening cooperation, inclusiveness and transparency within the Security Council.

Sixth and finally, the council (and Greenfield spoke) should better reflect current world realities and include more geographically diverse viewpoints.

The Security Council consists of 5 permanent members and 10 elected by the General Assembly according to geographical distribution (French)

Membership Expansion

We should not defend the unsustainable and outdated status quo, but rather show flexibility, a willingness to make concessions in the name of credibility and legitimacy, and reach consensus on credible and reasonable proposals to expand the membership of the Security Council.

It is noteworthy that Turkey and other countries constantly call for reforms in the UN Security Council.

 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has often stressed that the need for this international organization for reform can no longer be postponed, stressing that the world is greater than 5 countries.