United Nations: Arguing that the UN Security
Council is no longer reflective of contemporary reality, India
has said this poses the "most important challenge" to global
peace and security as well as conflict prevention.
The essential function of the Council is to address
matters of imminent threats to international peace and
security, India`s Ambassador to the world body Hardeep Singh
Puri said, addressing a UNSC briefing on `new challenges to
international peace and security`.
"In our view, the most important challenge to
international peace and security and conflict prevention is
that our platform for global governance in this area, namely
the Security Council, is no longer reflective of contemporary
reality," he said.
"A composition rooted in 1945 detracts from its abilities
to fully harness the capabilities of UN Member-States as of
today," Puri said, adding that instead of the continuation of
applying methods of coercion from an era gone by, newer
approaches involving collaborative action are required.
Today`s world, the envoy noted, is intensely
inter-connected and defined by profound changes in science,
revolutions in communications besides warfare techniques and
globalisation.
Puri said India is not in favour of the "discordant
trend" that has emerged to enlarge the scope of work of the UN
Security Council, which should only focus on matters of
international peace and security and not be burdened with
social and economic issues.
Puri said in recent months, there have been concerted
attempts to enlarge the scope of work and responsibility of
the Council.
"We do not favour this discordant trend both as a matter
of propriety and pragmatism. From the functional point of view
as well, burdening the Council with increasing number of
global challenges premised on their perceived
inter-connectedness with threat to peace and security is self
defeating," he said.
Noting that the Security Council`s focus has to be on
matters of international peace and security, Puri said packing
the Council`s agenda with social and economic issues
"distracts the Council from its core mandate and from
attending to matters that are its primary responsibility."
Issues of social and economic significance should be
dealt by the UN General Assembly.
"An unequivocal distinction between these two sets of
functions has so far helped in the smooth functioning of the
UN system. Any digression from the Charter rules is likely to
create dysfunction," he said.
Puri said it is imperative that the Council remains
strong in its fight against terrorism.
Terrorist financing, illicit money laundering and illegal
arms sale remain intertwined in a complex web of toxic
relationship, he said.
"The risk of Weapons of Mass Destruction falling into the
hands of terrorists presents a grave security challenge to the
international community."
Another area that has an impact on global security is
climate change and pandemics.
The two issues demand collaborative approaches and "not
finger pointing or punitive action," Puri said.
"The sad reality, however, is that we as the
international community have shown little appetite for
collaboration and sharing.
"Instead, not only are we not willing to share the
benefits of technological developments, such as drugs at
affordable prices, but we have also seen hurdles being placed
on developing countries sharing their own know-how and
products among themselves," he said.
PTI
