“It’s unlikely to find a compromise solution now”: how the situation around the possible reform of the UN Security Council is developing

Participants in the quadripartite security dialogue QUAD (Australia, India, the United States and Japan) advocated reforming the UN Security Council by increasing the number of permanent and non-permanent members.

This is stated in a joint statement following the talks of the foreign ministers of these countries in New Delhi.

The text of the document is published on the website of the foreign affairs agencies of Australia, Japan and in Indian information resources.

“We reaffirm our unwavering support for the UN Charter, including its three pillars, and our strong commitment to strengthening the UN and the international system through a comprehensive reform agenda, including through the expansion of permanent and non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council,” the statement said.

In this regard, Australia, India, the United States and Japan pledged to "actively and constructively participate in the process of intergovernmental negotiations on the reform of the Security Council with the common goal of making it more effective, representative and authoritative."

From the point of view of experts interviewed by RT, the QUAD joint statement clearly indicates the desire of its participants to reform the Security Council, with each side pursuing its own goals.

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In particular, India has long been seeking membership in the Security Council of the world organization and supports its expansion at the expense of the countries of Latin America, Africa and Asia, as well as island developing states.

Subramanyam Jaishankar, Indian Foreign Minister, spoke about this, speaking at a meeting of the Security Council in mid-December.

He emphasized that the countries of the non-Western world "need reliable and permanent representation on the Security Council."

“Decisions about their future can no longer be made without their participation.

It is equally important to increase the accountability, objectivity and transparency of the methods and processes of work of global institutions, including this Council (UN Security Council. -

).

Otherwise, only accusations of politicization will be heard against this Council,” Jaishankar said.

The head of the Indian Foreign Ministry lamented that three decades of existence of the working group on reforming the UN Security Council did not bring any practical results.

“This causes deep disappointment among a wider circle (UN member states. -

).

They will not accept the alternative of trying to propose piecemeal changes,” Jaishankar added.

Fight for a place

Recall that the UN Security Council consists of five permanent members (Russia, China, USA, Great Britain, France) and ten non-permanent members elected for a two-year term.

India was a member of the UN Security Council in 2021-2022.

Now, in New Delhi, they expect to return this status in 2028-2029, if by that time the republic does not take a place in the club of permanent members.

• Permanent Representative of India to the UN Ruchira Kamboy 2021-2022

• AP

• © Bebeto Matthews

The West and Russia support India's desire to join the ranks of permanent members.

However, this is opposed by China, with which New Delhi has serious territorial disputes.

Despite a certain tension in relations with China, it is India with its neutral policy that is considered the most likely candidate for the status of a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

“India suits many, but even if its contradictions with China are removed, it is unlikely that India will be admitted to the Security Council in isolation, because this will automatically cause understandable dissatisfaction among other contenders with a balanced foreign policy - Brazil, South Africa, Egypt,” the expert of the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies Vladimir Bruter.

A possible reform of the UN Security Council has been discussed for many years.

The reason for the discussions was the transformation of the world order, which emerged at the end of the last century.

One of the supporters of the reform is UN Secretary General António Guterres.

From his point of view, the Security Council still reflects the realities of the post-war period, and not today.

A similar view is shared by the chairman of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly Chaba Kyoryoshi.

Russia, like other UN members, does not dispute the thesis about the changed balance of power in the world.

Many states support the proposal to increase the number of members of the Security Council, including at the expense of developing countries.

However, the participants in the discussion did not come to a compromise.

For example, Russia considers it necessary to expand the Security Council at the expense of India, African and Latin American countries.

At the same time, Washington insists on the inclusion in the list of candidates of former opponents in World War II - Japan and Germany, which are now allies of the United States. 

• UN Headquarters in New York

• Gettyimages.ru

• © Bob Christ

In early December, at the Primakov Readings forum, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that Russia sees benefits in the membership of India and Brazil, but not of Germany and Japan.

“We see the added value India will bring to the Security Council… We see the added value Brazil will bring to the Security Council.

We do not see any added value if Germany and Japan suddenly also become permanent members of this UN body,” Lavrov said.

As the head of the Russian Foreign Ministry emphasized, for a long time Moscow has not observed "any difference in the position of these two countries from the position of the United States and NATO."

"In the interests of the United States"

According to Vladimir Bruter, the United States is speculating on the topic of a possible expansion of the Security Council in order to achieve membership in it for its allies.

“Yes, Germany and Japan themselves regularly remind of their readiness to become permanent members of the Security Council.

But this is also done in the interests of the United States.

The Americans want to blur the current configuration of the Security Council by including as many allies as possible.

Naturally, this is done to counter Russia and China,” says Bruter.

• UN Security Council meeting

• AP

• © John Minchillo

The expert believes that Washington and its allies will not stop trying to change the composition of the Security Council in their favor.

Also, Western countries will continue to look for ways to exclude Russia from the permanent membership or limit its powers.

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Recall that in May 2022, US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield stated that it was impossible at the moment to exclude the Russian Federation from the list of five permanent members.

In December, the head of the European Council, Charles Michel, called for the creation of a suspension mechanism, which, from his point of view, it makes sense to extend to Russia.

In an interview with RT, Konstantin Blokhin, a researcher at the Center for Security Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, expressed confidence that the United States and its allies are unable to prevent Moscow from using the competencies laid down by the UN Charter.

“All attempts to limit the role of Moscow will not lead to anything, if only for the reason that the Security Council has a consensus rule and a veto right.

Obviously, Russia will not agree to the abolition of the norms that allow it to defend itself against the attacks of the United States and its allies, ”Blokhin emphasized.

The current policy of Washington, as the expert believes, has become an objective obstacle to an adequate reform of the UN Security Council.

“There is no doubt that the UN Security Council needs to be reformed.

For example, you can include India, Brazil and South Africa.

However, finding a compromise solution is now unlikely to succeed.

The current US policy is too aggressive, the Americans will certainly begin to put pressure on new members.

For Russia and China, this will only create additional unjustified risks,” Blokhin concluded.