Turkey strongly opposes the enragement of the Security Council in terms of permanent members with veto powers

Last week, UN Herald talked to Ms. Sara Jud, permanent representative of Turkey to the United Nations. We talked about views of Turkish government regarding reformed Security Council. We overviewed Turkish cooperation inside Uniting for Consensus group and discussed other possible solutions that would be acceptable. In the last part of interview, Ms. Jud shared some information about cooperation inside other working groups, especially UNAOC.

       What is Turkey's official position towards increasing of number of permanent seats, increasing of number of nonpermanent seats and reforming of veto structure?

We believe that the current structure and composition of the Security Council is definitely inefficient, what we could see in many deadlocked situations the Council has found itself in in the recent years. Right now we could face its passive attitude regarding the situation in Syria. Nothing is being done, while ordinary and innocent people continue to suffer and be targeted by mass deliberate killings.

In this respect, Turkey strongly opposes the enragement of the Security Council in terms of permanent members with veto powers as the consequence would only be more deadlocked Security Council what is in contrast with the main aims of the on-going reform process. We follow changes that would render the Council more transparent and representative as well as efficient, and that could be done only outside the category of permanent seats. Therefore our suggestion, presented together with the United for Consensus is enlargement of the non-permanent category from ten to fifteen, with some of those seats having the mandate longer than two years and possibility to be re-elected, what would mean that members will be able to implement long term programmes and get more detailed insight into world affairs as well as more influence.

Does Turkey accept any other possible outcome that is different from one expressed in Uniting for Consensus joint statement?

Right now it is difficult to assume different outcomes as the negotiations are still going on and we have not been informed about all the proposals yet. For sure we stand firmly behind the opposition against any extension of veto powers and in this regard no change is possible. However, the form and extension in terms of non-permanent category is still discussable. We will be pleased if an agreement is reached among all General Assembly Members and are therefore prepared to consider different options, but keeping in mind that too broad extension, while fulfilling the representativeness criteria, would lower the efficiency of the Council what is known already from the theory of organizations, that too broad membership brings negative consequences to the organization’s functioning. We believe that criteria of representativeness could be met also with other mechanisms, such as declared support of the states from each United Nations Regional Group for a particular candidate. In the United for Consensus we are developing that idea further right now and would be glad to receive comments or other proposals that will aim to reach the same goal.

Are you planning to deepen the cooperation within UfC, UNAOC, D8 or D4 before the last session? Are you preparing any meetings, working papers or even draft resolutions within these forums?

As mentioned above, the Republic of Turkey is in particular active in the United for Consensus Group, which will submit joint resolution on the reform of the Security Council. However, that does not mean that the cooperation with others has died out. There was already an unofficial meeting of the United Nations Alliance of Civilization and we hope some of D8 / D4 will also follow as we are of the opinion that although the Security Council is a matter of States at the end of the day, more actors should be involved in consensus building as then the final outcome will likely be more efficient and made to fit everyone.

If yes, what are the key goals that Turkey will try to perceive in this negotiations/meetings?

Alliance of the Civilizations welcomes the reform of the Security Council and hopes that it will render it more inclusive with more opportunities for different States to become members, no matter historical background, religion or size. The UN AOC strongly supports the principle of equality of states, not only when talking about the Security Council but also otherwise, and emphasizes the final formula of the Security Council’s composition should enable that different worlds, different cultures, different religions, different identities as well as different opinions.

Luka Kavčič