Power politics at the UN Security Council carousel
Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Free Headline Alerts
By John Metzler
UNITED NATIONS — It’s an annual ritual, which allows all UN members to have their turn on the powerful fifteen member Security Council. Sometimes, the competition for the two-year stint on the rotating diplomatic carousel is tough, while at other times political consensus allows for an agreed candidate to get this sought-after status. This year the Islamic Republic of Iran was fortunately thwarted in it’s bid for non-permanent membership on this powerful decision making body.
The entire UN membership, that is to say the 192 member General Assembly, casts a secret ballot for their selected candidates. A two-thirds majority is needed and sometimes this rule prolongs elections as in the case when Venezuela’s dictator Hugo Chavez, bid for a seat two years ago only to be worn down by the attrition of ballots and finally allowing a compromise candidate Panama.
Besides the five permanent veto holding Council members; China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and the United States, the body has ten rotating non-permanent seats.
In the competition for a seat in the Asian Group, Iran faced off with Japan. Teheran’s political pitch was that Iran has not held this coveted place on the Council since 1956 and thus should have a chance to return. Logically the argument made sense as half a century had passed. Importantly in the autumn of 1956 Iranian diplomats stood side- by-side with the West in opposing Soviet aggression in Hungary. But today’s Iran, under the current radical Islamic regime is hardly a peace loving country and moreover is a peace disrupting state. Given the Islamic Republic’s nuclear proliferation and the near universal fears over Iran’s proscribed nuclear plans, it would the height of folly to invite the Atomic Ayatollahs a place on the very Security Council which is currently deliberating against them!
Despite the vainglorious enthusiasm of Tehran’s bid, when the votes were counted, Japan won an impressive 158 votes as compared to 32 for Iran. Even though Japan just finished an impressive two-year term on the Council in 2006, the momentum favored Tokyo. The answer is two fold. Japan is the second largest financial contributor to the UN system and plays the role of global good guy in humanitarian and crisis situations the world over. Japan’s diplomacy in her recent role on the Council was highly regarded to say the least. The second reason of course was Iran itself. Few serious states even in the UN General Assembly, could with any conscience, call Iran a peace loving country. Japan replaces Indonesia.
The other election, though with far less rancor, saw three countries competing for European seats. Austria, Iceland and Turkey were in the running. Turkey won an impressive 151 votes and Austria gained 133. Iceland lost, and given their current economic meltdown, they have more to worry about than the UN. The winners will replace both Belgium and Italy whose terms soon end.
The Turkish diplomatic victory equally embodies Turkish nationalism which was on proud display right down to a massive three story high crimson and crescent flag hung from the Turkish Mission to the UN on First Avenue. Ankara’s Ambassador Baki Ilkin cried with emotion for his country, which had not been on the Council since the early 1960’s. The campaign was very well planned, with Ankara’s aid and lobbying budget pegged at $50 million in the bid for the seat. As recently as September Turkish President Abdullah Gul courted African and Islamic states here at the UN.
Ankara’s election has many meanings. Though Turkey is a longtime NATO member, it’s current Islamic-lite government has played the political field in the strategic Middle East, especially with neighboring Syria and Iran. The Turks claim they will open a dialogue between Iran and the West. We shall see.
The other European state, Austria naturally has impressive UN credentials and has long served as a global mediator, a major donor of humanitarian aid, and a contributor of peacekeeping forces.
In the African group, Uganda won a spot nearly unanimously, replacing South Africa.
This East African country, has seen some impressive social and economic development in recent years. Mexico gained 185 votes for the Latin American seat and replaces Panama. None of these new members can be viewed as radical anti-American states.
The elected players will climb on the diplomatic carousel for the 2009-2010 term; indeed the global situation promises tumultuous times as the world stands on the cusp of a new age of Jimmy Carter.