Cuba: UN Security Council Lacks Transparency, Accountability

 Cuba reiterated its long-held position that the United Nations Security Council requires more transparency, a democratic style of organization and genuine accountability, fulfilling the UN Charter's pledge to represent all member states in matters of security and international peacekeeping.

Cuba’s Deputy Permanent Representative Ana Silvia Rodríguez appealed to the body during a session of the UN General Assembly devoted to reviewing the 15-member body's work, TeleSUR reported.

The Cuban diplomat called for the Security Council to urgently change its working methods in favor of a far more inclusive style that guarantees its members' genuine participation in decision-making processes and the work of the group.

“Cuba once again proposes an end to closed-door meetings; that access to membership be extended in two categories, permanent and non-permanent, without selective or discriminatory criteria, in order to rectify the insufficient representation of developing countries in this body; and an end the obsolete and anti-democratic power of veto,” she stated.

Rodriguez also called for the adoption of the Security Council's rules of procedure. Since they were introduced in 1946, the rules have been frozen in a provisional state.

Regarding a report on the work of the Council over the past year presented during the meeting, the Cuban diplomat expressed her regret that, like previous ones, the document was “merely a descriptive summary of the meetings, activities and decisions taken,” despite calls from the majority of fellow General Assembly members for in-depth analyses of the body's work.

The Cuban speakers also asked how long the international community would have to wait “this formal and non-substantive procedure to become a true exercise of accountability to the General Assembly.”
 [farsnews.com]
30/8/17