“Permanent members used Veto to achieve their political ends…” Indian Counsellor Pratik Mathur at UN
Apr 27, 2023
New York (USA), April 27 (ANI): The counsellor for India's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Pratik Mathur, addressed the 68th Plenary Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly on the "Use of Veto". A year has passed since the adoption of the 'veto initiative' by this August Assembly, and India's position on veto has been consistent and clear, he noted. "UNGA had unanimously agreed to vide decision 62/557 in 2008 that all five aspects of UNSC reform, including on the question of veto would be decided in a comprehensive manner and therefore no single cluster could be addressed in isolation. The veto resolution, though adopted by consensus, unfortunately, reflected a piecemeal approach to UNSC reform, thereby highlighting one aspect, ignoring the root cause of the problem," Counsellor Mathur said. Regarding the substantive aspect of the exercise of veto in the Security Council, Counsellor Mathur made several observations. All five permanent members have used the veto over the last 75 years to achieve their respective political ends, he argued. "In this regard, let me flag what our African Brothers have repeatedly stated in the IGN, 'The veto as a matter of principle should be abolished. However, as a matter of common justice, it should be extended to new permanent members so long as it continues to exist'," Counsellor Mathur said, quoting African nations.
