Discussions in the UN Security Council are slowly coming to a close. The delegations will soon start the resolution amendment process. While waiting for the next session to begin, the delegations are involved in an essential conversation on… cookies. “We had the highest claim over the cookies”, says the chair, followed by a delegate making a controversial statement: “We are also the most important committee here”. To be taken with a grain of salt, of course.
Back to serious business now. The session starts with the United Kingdom congratulating on the good work put in until now in the resolution but also highlighting the remaining controversies included in the paper which should still be amended. In the following Consultation of the Whole, the delegate of Finland wishes to hear from China, which, according to the Finnish delegate, has been “throwing around their veto rights”. Although the Chinese delegation does not immediately respond, they do announce after a lengthy speech by the Russian Federation that China will veto the Secure Arctic Summit previously proposed by the committee. This is immediately picked on by the Swiss delegation, criticizing China’s prompt use of veto rights. The United Kingdom joins this call: “We request China to stop threatening the council with veto.”
China, in a strong speech on the role of P5 countries, defends itself on their use of the veto: “This is a necessary problem. This would escalate with our national interests”. Denmark adds to the discussion: “We do not have a veto to throw around. But what we have is the power of negotiation, which is what we used and what we should focus on.”
- Anabelle L. Valkenburg, The Guardian
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