UNSC not optimal, needs reforms

/By Azernews/

By Gulgiz Dadashova

The way the UN Security Council is working now is not optimal, it needs to be reformed, Michael Moller, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Geneva stated.

In respond to Trend inquiry on Armenia's non-fulfillment of UN resolutions 822 (1993), 853 (1993), 874 (1993) and 884 (1993) on the withdrawal of troops from the occupied territories of Azerbaijan, Moller noted that the necessity of reforms at the UNSC is obvious.

"We are trying to reform the UN for the last 25 years but we are not going very far. All countries and partners must deal with this issue,” he said.

The UNSC has been subject of criticism for its failures to deal with crises such as the wars in Syria and Ukraine, and for its impotence in longer term issues, including the situation in the Middle East. Any reform of the Security Council would require the agreement of all five – China, France, Russia, the UK and US – a permanent seat, and at least two-thirds of UN member states.

As for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Moller said Azerbaijan has to resolve the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict locally, adding that it is not good to say that someone has to come and resolve this problem.

"A dialogue and a diplomatic solution are required while resolving such conflicts. This problem has no military solution,” he said.

Armenia's territorial claims in the late 1980s and the ensuing military aggression resulted in the occupation of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory, including Nagorno-Karabakh and also seven surrounding regions. Over a million Azerbaijanis became refugees and IDPs in the aftermath of the brutal 1990s war fought between the two South Caucasus republics.

The occupation of more than one-seventh of the territory of Azerbaijan and the obligations of Armenia as an occupying power were named in the four resolutions on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict adopted by the UN Security Council.

The resolutions according, to which Armenia should abandon the territorial claims against Azerbaijan and withdraw from the occupied territories had remained unimplemented over the past 20 years.

While documents tackling similar international problems often come into force without delay, no pressure has been made on Yerevan to fulfill the UNSC resolutions.

Azerbaijan was disappointed that the UN had not taken an equally firm stand against Armenia’s seizure, in a war in the early 1990s, of Nagorno-Karabakh and seven other regions located in Azerbaijan.

Baku believes that the UN resolutions on the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict haven't been fulfilled due to the policy of double standards.

There’s also another reason that prevents the UN from galvanizing into action. Experts say irrespective of the nature and scale of conflict, the UN actions and decisions on the most pressing and immediate issues are prevented if the interests of any Big Five clash. In a situation where member states are divided, what can be achieved, they ask.

While the Security Council likely needs reform, it remains the dominant international political forum for global issues. Thorough reforms of the UN could work towards better international governance and maintenance of peace and security in the world.