Why it is too hard to reform UNSC
METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY PRAGUE
International Relations and European Studies
‘Why is it so difficult to reform the Security Council?’ Words: 1648
Kristina Gudovskikh – 05.01.2014 / 1_IRES2
In every day news reports we always can find some events connected with United Nations Security Council, which is known as the main body of the United Nations international systems. Its main aim is to take care of international peace and security as it is written in Chapter V of UN Charter.1
United Nations Security Council consists of five permanent members, including U.S.A, Great Britain, China, Russia and France. All these members have Veto power, which means that if any of permanent members votes against the resolution, that resolution cannot be accepted. It also has ten non-permanent members.2
The universal multipurpose organization of the United Nations exists more than 60 years. Humanity understands that such type of organization cannot exist without any modernizations, because year by year problems and conflicts that arise are completely different in compare with problems which were during years of establishing the UN. Although majority of the state’s authorities for many years think that UNSC needs to be reformed, it was modified just once in 1965, when amount of non-permanent members increased from 6 to 10. From then on there has been no significant reform.3
This essay is an attempt to highlight main reasons of why United Nations Security Council should be reformed, problems in the functioning and effectiveness of the Security Council, and answer the main question: Why there are many difficulties in trying to reform the Security Council. And why it is still almost no action was taken.
The UN Charter gives to the Security Council many rights and responsibilities that help to keep peace and prevent conflicts. Also the Security Council can accept resolutions which are
International Relations and European Studies
‘Why is it so difficult to reform the Security Council?’ Words: 1648
Kristina Gudovskikh – 05.01.2014 / 1_IRES2
In every day news reports we always can find some events connected with United Nations Security Council, which is known as the main body of the United Nations international systems. Its main aim is to take care of international peace and security as it is written in Chapter V of UN Charter.1
United Nations Security Council consists of five permanent members, including U.S.A, Great Britain, China, Russia and France. All these members have Veto power, which means that if any of permanent members votes against the resolution, that resolution cannot be accepted. It also has ten non-permanent members.2
The universal multipurpose organization of the United Nations exists more than 60 years. Humanity understands that such type of organization cannot exist without any modernizations, because year by year problems and conflicts that arise are completely different in compare with problems which were during years of establishing the UN. Although majority of the state’s authorities for many years think that UNSC needs to be reformed, it was modified just once in 1965, when amount of non-permanent members increased from 6 to 10. From then on there has been no significant reform.3
This essay is an attempt to highlight main reasons of why United Nations Security Council should be reformed, problems in the functioning and effectiveness of the Security Council, and answer the main question: Why there are many difficulties in trying to reform the Security Council. And why it is still almost no action was taken.
The UN Charter gives to the Security Council many rights and responsibilities that help to keep peace and prevent conflicts. Also the Security Council can accept resolutions which are
Bibliography: [1] FISHER, Eloy. United Nations Security Council (UNSC) reform and international political decision making: A theoretical approximation. REVISTA PANAMENA DE POLITICA - №6, Panama, July- December 2008. [viewed 4 January 2014]. [2] FREIESLEBEN, Jonas. REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL. MANAGING CHANGE AT THE UNITED NATIONS. [viewed 4 January 2014] [3] LUCK, C. Edward. Reforming the United Nations: Lessons from a History in Progress. International Relations Studies and the United Nations Occasional Papers №1-2003 . [viewed 3 January 2014]. Available from: http://dspace.cigilibrary.org/jspui/bitstream/123456789/5935/1/Reforming%20the%20United%20Nations%20Lessons%20from%20a%20History%20in%20Progress.pdf?1 [4] KEATING, Colin. Reforming the Working Methods of the UN Security Council. Perspective | FES New York, December 2011. [viewed 3 January 2014]. Available from: http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/08728-20111216.pdf [5] KUGEL, Alicia. Reform of the Security Council – A New Approach? FEC New York, Briefing Paper 12| September 2009. [viewed 3 January 2014]. Available from: http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/iez/global/06696.pdf [6]RONZITTI, Natalino. The Reform of the UN Security Council. Instituto Affari Internazionali(IAI). Italy, 13 July 2010. [viewed 4 January 2014]. Available from: http://www.iai.it/pdf/DocIAI/iai1013.pdf [7] SPAIN, Anna. ARTICLE: The U.N. Security Council’s Duty to Decide. Harvard National Security Journal / Vol. 4 [viewed 2 January 2014] [8]WEISS, G.Thomas. The Illusion of UN Security Council Reform. Copyright 2003 by The Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, The Washington Quarterly, Autumn 2003. [viewed 5 January 2014]. Available from: https://csis.org/files/publication/twq03autumnweiss.pdf [9] WOUTERS, Jan. SECURITY COUNCIL REFORM: A NEW VETO FOR A NEW CENTURY? ROYAL INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS (IRRI-KIIB). EGMONT PAPER 9. BRUSSELS, AUGUST 2005. [viewed 4 January 2014]