Why russia vetoed

The veto affects the work of the Council in ways that transcend its actual use during voting. It is not unusual for a draft resolution not to be formally tabled because of the threat of a veto by one or more permanent members.

This is difficult to document: a paper trail exists only if a draft is circulated as a Council document, which in most cases occurs only when there is a reasonable expectation of adoption. On some occasions, however, the sponsor of a draft resolution may put it to the vote in the full knowledge that it will be vetoed to demonstrate symbolic support for an issue and to create a historical record of positions within the Council.

Similar calls have been voiced by members at large in the open debates on working methods. The S5 disbanded in but its agenda, notably its stance on the veto, was taken on in early by a group of states that emerged as an informal caucus to advocate for improved Security Council working methods.

Publicly launched on 2 May that year, Accountability, Coherence and Transparency ACT is a cross-regional group of 27 small and medium-sized states aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the Council through the improvement of its working methods, including putting constraints on the use of the veto.

We use cookies in a limited and restricted manner for specific purposes. For more details, you can see "our data policy". Your opinions matter to us times;. The move demonstrates blatant disregard for humanitarian principles and the ongoing prioritization of political objectives over human lives. China and Russia were the only two members of the UN Security Council to oppose the renewal of the resolution today.

Churkin said it would be open to manipulation. The permanent five members appointed themselves in the aftermath of the second world war from which they emerged the victors. Seventy years on, that settlement is less representative than ever of the global distribution of population and economic strength.

Emerging powers are knocking ever more assertively on the clubhouse door. India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have collectively been pushing their claims for more than a decade. They also support permanent membership status for Africa, where the leading and most vocal current claimant is South Africa.

The barriers to expansion are formidable, however. France and the UK have voiced their support for a new intake of permanent members. The other permanent members are more guarded, however. That concern over the potential tradeoff between size and efficiency is something the US shares with Russia.