Failure to end Ukraine war shows UNSC's dysfunctional system: UNGA chief

The 'dysfunctional' system of the UN Security Council has been reflected in the 'absurd' situation arising out of one of its permanent members attacking Ukraine and the global body's failure to address the crisis reinforces the urgent need for its reform, UN General Assembly president Csaba Korosi said on Monday.

In an address at a think-tank, Korosi strongly pitched for reform of the UN Security Council to reflect the changing balance of global power and economic heft of various countries and criticised the slow process that was started around 17 years back to bring the changes.

Separately, at a press conference, the UN diplomat, currently on a three-day visit to India, said New Delhi has done a lot to advance the US Security Council reform and was very active in all Ukraine related issues in both in the body as well as in the UN General Assembly.

On Monday, Korosi met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri with an overall focus on pressing global issues including those related to the UN.

India has been strongly demanding a permanent membership in the UN Security Council considering the size of its population and role in international affairs. The current permanent members of the UNSC are China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

Addressing a group of diplomats, strategic affairs experts and academicians at the Indian Council of World Affairs, the UNGA president also wondered why there is still no agreement on a text to take forward the reform process.

"Does it have a time frame? No, I think it does not. Does it have a negotiated text, no it does not...Have you ever seen a negotiated process which has no text to negotiate? Have you ever seen a negotiating process which has no clear cut timeframe when to deliver," he asked.

"Why the member states cannot do it? Because the interests are very much divided, and for some, it is more preferable to see the current dysfunctional stage than to embark on a reform," he said.

The Hungarian diplomat, who is currently serving as the President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, commended India's call during its recent membership of the UN Security Council for peace in Ukraine and its humanitarian aid for people hit by the conflict.

Korosi said the war in Ukraine has caused untold sufferings, displacements and "unleashed" an energy and food crisis across the globe.

The president of the UN General Assembly also lauded New Delhi for sending medical aid and COVID-19 vaccines to a large number of countries to help them deal with the pandemic.

Korosi also complimented India for safe evacuation of its citizens from Ukraine after Russia started its invasion of that country in February last year.

On the reform of the UN Security Council, the UNGA president urged the member states to make compromises and consider even making partial agreements under a step-by-step approach for reform of the UNSC.

"Otherwise it will be very very difficult."

Korosi identified the Ukraine war and lack of agreement on a text for taking forward the reform process as the two major problems facing it.

"There are two major problems that we are facing. One was brought up by the war in Ukraine. The Security Council was created in 1945 to be the prime responsible organ for catering to international peace and security, to make sure that there would be no more wars," he said.

The aim of the UNSC was to avert war and large-scale destruction, and, therefore, extraordinary powers have been placed into the hands of the Council, he said.

"What if the Security Council members, one of them, a permanent member that has those extraordinary powers including the Veto power, is the one attacking its neighbour. It created a situation where the Security Council is incapable of addressing this issue," Korosi said.

"Since the very beginning of the war in Ukraine, the Security Council has not been able to take any decision on the war on Ukraine. So it is an absurd situation which is describing the dysfunction of the Council," he said.

The UNGA president said millions of people who were expecting the UN to deliver were frustrated by the UNSC's approach towards the Ukraine crisis.

"If millions of people were expecting the Security Council to make sure that wars would not be repeated, they would be frustrated. I can understand that," he said.

Korosi said the composition and the working method of the UNSC was based on the situation in 1945-46 following the Second World War.

"Since then, much has changed. The world economy has changed, the balance of power in the world has changed...so it is absolutely understandable that the countries and the leaders of the world are more and more impatiently demanding that the Security Council should be reformed," he said.

The UNGA president said the reform process can be taken forward if the member states want.

"It is up to the member states to come up with some kind of shared understanding, some kind of compromise. I very strongly asked the member states to think very hard. Do you want to spend another 17 years on a process or do you want to see results as soon as possible," he said.

"If they like to go for the second (option), they will have to make compromises, they will have to make agreements. Maybe partial agreements. Maybe a step by step approach. Otherwise it will be very very difficult," he said.

At the media briefing, the UNGA president said there were divisions among the UN General Assembly member countries on the UNSC reform process and that there has been an impression that the five permanent member countries are not very enthusiastic about it.

He said there should be a resolution at the General Assembly on the UNSC reform but it could not be passed yet as the General Assembly has always been "very much divided" on the issue.

"I nominated two new co-chairs for the intergovernmental negotiations that are responsible to deal with reform of the Security Council and the negotiations are just about to start," he said.

On the Ukraine conflict, he said there should be a ceasefire and if the warring parties feel it appropriate, the UN would be ready including the General Assembly to help the parties start negotiations.