Monitoring Policy Making at the United Nations |
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Annex XXVII
Proposed amendment to document A/AC.247/1998/CRP.13 on the periodic review of the enlarged Security Council, submitted by the Republic of Korea, dated 25 June 1998
Summary of proposals made on the periodic review of the enlarged Security Council
Proposal: to reflect the following in paragraph C or D of the above-mentioned document
1. Emphasis has been expressed on the need to upgrade the majority required for the extension of new permanent members at the time of review. In particular, it has been strongly suggested that the threshold level for decisions on the extension of new permanent members be upgraded to as near as possible to the level applied during initial elections, namely, at least the two-thirds majority of all members of the United Nations. This upgrade will be all the more necessary if periodic review is genuinely intended as a mechanism to ameliorate some of the shortcomings inherent in the increase of permanent membership by providing the general membership with a reasonable opportunity to replace some or all new permanent members. The upgraded level of majority required for the extension of new permanent members during the review period can be incorporated into the new provisions of the Charter of the United Nations to be created with respect to the periodic review of the enlarged Security Council.
Reasons
2. A truly effective mechanism for substantive review requires, among other things, that the review period be as reasonably brief as possible and its provisions as rigorous as those applied during the initial elections for new permanent members. But the current majority level for decisions on the extension of new permanent members at the time of review falls far short of justifying the claim for a substantive review as a mechanism to rectify the democratic deficits associated with a permanent increase, namely, depriving the general membership of opportunities to replace them.
3. The amendment to Article 23 of the Charter of the United Nations, which contains the country names of the permanent members, will require the support of a two-thirds majority of all members if undertaken through Article 108 of the Charter. Therefore, new permanent members will retain their status if they are able to secure a mere one-third majority to block the formation of a two-thirds majority.
Previously issued as A/AC.247/1998/CRP.18.
4. In tandem with the premium that new permanent members will enjoy as incumbents, this low level of support required will virtually ensure the automatic extension of new permanent members, rendering a periodic review meaningless. This clearly runs counter to the thesis that new permanent members will not be eternal, but replaceable, as maintained by some countries aspiring to permanent membership. Therefore, it is strongly urged that serious consideration be given to the need to upgrade the majority level required for the extension of new permanent members as near as possible to the level applied during the initial elections.
