Your UN tax dollars at work: How South Africa stalled Iran sanctions

Despite Russia and People’s China grudgingly supporting the Council’s latest slap on the wrist of the Atomic Ayatollahs, South Africa a non-permanent Council member but holding this month’s Presidency, has tried to slow the pace and water down the text. Why?

Though South Africa can in no way to veto or even block the fifteen member Council from voting on what seemed like consensus opposing Iran’s nuclear ambitions, the Pretoria government calls for a “ time out,” a delay of 90 days, along with Islamic Iran’s parallel suspension of its uranium enrichment activities. The Council’s five permanent members, Britain, France, People’s China, Russia, the U.S., as well as Germany, all supported the draft. But given its key role in the non-aligned movement, it’s unlikely the big five will just brush off South Africa, though I’m not convinced that Moscow and Beijing don’t actually support this diversion in dealing with Teheran.

Since assuming a rotating two year stint on the Security Council this past January, South Africa is trying to prove both its political power bona fides as well as its “independence” as a player. For example an American sponsored draft resolution criticizing the horrible human rights situation in Burma (Myanmar) saw South Africa support a rare Russian/ Chinese double veto shooting down the rights resolution.

Sadly South Africa is using its tenure on the Council to support the likes of the Burmese military dictatorship and the Atomic Ayatollahs. As a positive counter-point when Japan held a two year seat which ended in late 2006, the Tokyo government worked in harmony with Washington and London. Japan’s initiative saw the adoption of a tough economic sanctions resolution following North Korea’s nuclear test last October.

As if that is not enough, South Africa’s left-wing African National Congress government has self-consciously looked the other way to the deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation in neighboring Zimbabwe. Despite nearly two million Zimbabwe refugees have fled to South Africa, and despite the humanitarian nightmare unfolding on their doorstep, Pretoria has played the sordid game of African “solidarity” eg. don’t criticize the local dictator. Longtime human rights advocate Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Cape town, has publicly chastised Pretoria’s hypocrisy and support of the Mugabe regime.

South Africa recently blocked a Security Council debate on Zimbabwe which both Britain and the U.S. had proposed.

In the current Iranian case, the South Africans are calling for a watered down draft resolution text which would in effect delete economic sanctions on key players and organizations involved in proliferation, missile development and the overall funding for Iran’s notorious Revolutionary Guards, the Pasdaran. Pretoria’s UN Ambassador Dumisani Kumalo advised that his delegation would scrutinize the text to ensure it led to a "political solution." The new sanctions package would ban Iran from exporting arms, and widens a list of officials and companies targeted for financial and travel restrictions given their ties to Iran’s nuclear program.

Johannesburg’s respected Business Day newspaper stated, “South Africa has been trying to negotiate a settlement to the nuclear crisis and has been in constant contact with the Iranians.” Interestingly Teheran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki visited South African President Thabo Mbeki to hold detailed off the record discussions on the issue. Iran’s nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani visited South Africa in February to discuss the case.

When the Security Council does vote on the sanctions, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will come to New York to address the body in what promises to be a spirited style over substance rant.

Why is this important? Given plans to expand the permanent membership of the Security Council, South Africa sees itself as among the most qualified and worthy contenders to gain an African seat. While this is largely true (don’t tell Nigeria), Pretoria’s actions today may prove a precursor to its future role. The powers are watching carefully.