“Composition obsolete”
Scholz is campaigning for a new UN Security Council
September 20, 2023, 4:40 a.m
In his speech to the United Nations, Chancellor Scholz once again condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine. The SPD politician sees the fact that Beijing and Moscow can block any reform in the UN Security Council as evidence that the body needs a fresh start.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz is pushing for a reform of the UN Security Council and has indirectly denied the veto powers the right to prevent a new order. “Ultimately it is in the hands of the General Assembly to decide on reforming the Security Council,” said the Chancellor in his speech to the UN General Assembly, according to the speech manuscript. The composition of the Security Council, which has five permanent members: the USA, Russia, China, France and Great Britain, is outdated. “Africa deserves more weight, as do Asia and Latin America.”
Scholz did not expressly repeat Germany’s desire for its own permanent seat in the highest UN body, but rather mentioned Germany’s candidacy for a two-year, non-permanent seat in 2027/28. However, he recalled that Germany is the second largest financier of the UN after the USA and has tripled its commitments for international climate financing to six billion euros. Scholz said no one should oppose Security Council reform. If there is agreement that countries in the southern hemisphere need more representation, a text with various options can be negotiated. “No country should block such open-ended negotiations with maximum demands.”
Peace must not be an illusory solution
The background is a negative attitude from Russia and China. In theory, they can veto any change in composition. The reform has therefore been blocked for decades. Germany, together with India, Brazil and Japan, is aiming for a permanent seat within the framework of the so-called G4 group. In view of the crises, more and not less cooperation is needed in the world, said Scholz. The United Nations could also not be replaced by multilateral associations such as the G20, G7 or the Brics bloc. “Only the United Nations – based on the values embodied in its charter – fully fulfills the claim of universal representation and sovereign equality for all.” It stands for the renunciation of violence, the rejection of any form of revisionism and for the commitment to cooperation across divisions. Scholz criticized the fact that some governments were packaging the desire for a division of the world under the formula “cooperation only among like-minded people”.
Scholz once again sharply criticized Russia for the attack on Ukraine and at the same time warned against “sham solutions” that only had “peace” in their name. “Peace without freedom means oppression,” said Scholz. “Peace without justice is called diktat.” Ukrainians would “fight for their lives and freedom, for the independence and territorial integrity of their country, for the preservation of the very principles to which we all committed ourselves in the UN Charter.”
The Russian war of aggression is not only causing great suffering to Ukraine, Scholz added. “Citizens around the world are suffering from inflation, growing debt, fertilizer shortages, hunger and increasing poverty.” “Because this war has unbearable consequences around the globe, it is good and right that the world also takes part in the search for peace,” Scholz continued. “And at the same time, we must beware of pseudo-solutions that only have “peace” in their name.” Russia is responsible for this war. “And it is Russia’s President (Vladimir Putin) who can end it at any time with a single order.”