UNITED NATIONS: The UN General Assembly voted unanimously on Tuesday to automatically meet within 10 days to debate the situation if any of the Security Council’s five permanent members vetoes a resolution.

The UN charter gives China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States the power to veto Security Council resolutions, recognising their key roles in establishing the United Nations.

Countries like Pakistan have often felt the need for a mechanism to deal with the arbitrary use of veto, but it was Russia’s veto to block a debate on the war in Ukraine that forced major powers into action. Russia used the veto soon after invading Ukraine in February and indicated that it would not hesitate to do it again to prevent future debates on the war.

Eighty-three countries sponsored the resolution — “Standing mandate for a General Assembly debate when a veto is cast in the Security Council” — and on Tuesday Liechtenstein’s UN Ambassador, Christian Wenaweser, introduced the draft.

UN charter gives China, France, Russia, UK and US power to veto Security Council resolutions

As many as193 members of the General Assembly adopted the resolution with consensus amidst a burst of applause, introducing the first check on the use of veto.

The resolution, however, does not diminish the veto power of the five permanent members but it would put them under a global spotlight on Tuesday every time they use their veto.

For the first time, the General Assembly will hold a debate on the situation that sparks a veto in the Security Council within 10 working days, and would give precedence on the list of speakers to the permanent member who cast the veto.

The assembly isn’t required to take or consider any action, but the discussion could put veto-wielders on the spot and let a raft of other countries be heard.

The resolution recognises that the UN charter gives the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in the world to the Security Council “to ensure prompt and effective action by the United Nations”.

It also notes that UN members have conferred on the Security Council, and agreed that in carrying out its duties under this responsibility the Security Council acts on their behalf.

But it recalled that the charter also gives certain powers and functions to the General Assembly in matters pertaining to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2022