States not implementing UNSC resolutions not worth of its membership

He said this while addressing the open debate at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in New York on Wednesday.

Democratization of UNSC

During his near 12 minute long speech, Bilawal spoke on the multilateraism reforms agenda for the UNSC.

He suggested adopting a proposal to create 11 additional non-permanent elected seats on the council.

“It offers the most realistic option for an equitable and early reform of the UNSC,” he said, adding that the model would provide for more equitable representation to all member states and regions including Africa.

“Periodic elections would enhance the accountability of the security council members,” he said, adding that it would numerically and politically expand the influence and role of elected members.

In relation to the existing five permanent members, it would preserve the principle of sovereign equality, Bilawal explained.

He added that the United Nation’s 193 members need to be equitably represented through the expansion of the security council.

“Surely we all believe that a further democratization of the United Nations, a further democratization of the UN security council, of the UN General Assembly is what would empower this institution would provide it with the moral authority to act,” he said, adding that it does not serve the purposes of the UN to add more members to this ‘elitist club’ to expand the power of the tyrannical veto.

Adding new permanent members would numerically reduce the opportunities for the vast majority of the United Nations member states to be represented on the security council,“ he stated, noting, “they must adhere to the principle of sovereign equality of all, not the superiority of some.”

Act preemtively

Bilawal said that the UNSC has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security. Multilateral solutions under the umbrella of the security council offer the most effective approach to promoting peace and resolving conflicts, he said.

Parties to a dispute cannot advocate multilateral processes one day, multilateral reform one day and insist on bilateral avenues the next or ultimately impose unilateral solutions, he said in a veiled reference to India and its unilateral annexation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

“Pakistan firmly believes that the that the major security problems, including those in our region, can be effectively and peacefully resolved through the active involvement of the security council and the UN Secretary General,” he said.

Multilateralism, Bilawal said, must be based on universal and consistent adherence to the fundamental principles of the UN Charter.

“Self-determination of people, non-use or threat of force, non-acquisition of territory by the use of force respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states and non-interference in their internal affairs, restrict adherence to the charter’s principles has become all the more essential in the context of recent and ongoing conflict,” the foreign minister said.

“The council, he said, must seek to resolve conflicts and disputes, not merely manage them,” he said.

“It should address the underlying causes of conflicts such as foreign occupation and suppression of the recognition of rights of people to self-determination,” he said.

In accordance with their obligation under article 25 of the charter, member states must implement the decisions of this very USNC, he stressed.

“The security council must act not only after a conflict has erupted it must act preemptively to prevent and avert conflicts before they occur,” he said, adding that the security council should be enabled to meet automatically without a procedural decision on any item which is already on its agenda if so requested by a council member or a concerned state.

“No party to a conflict or dispute should be able to refuse the secretary general’s good offices, whenever these are offered, nor to reject recourse to the modalities for the specific settlement of disputes prescribed on the charter eight of the U.N Charter

Kashmir

On Kashmir, he said that there is an agenda item of the UNSC left unaddressed which they believe is a multi-natural agenda of this UNSC.

“If we want to see the success of multilateral institutions the success of multilateralism the success of this very council then surely you can aid in this process and allow for the implementation of UN security council resolutions when it comes to the question of Kashmir,” he said, adding, “prove that multilateralism can succeed, prove that the UNSC under your presidency can succeed and deliver peace in our region.