Indonesia ready to join UNSC, envoy states
Indonesia ready to join UNSC, envoy states
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is gearing itself up to face the task
of dealing with a host of formidable international issues when it
assumes a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) next year.
Indonesia's permanent representative to the UN, Nugroho
Wisnumurti, yesterday suggested that the country's tenure in the
Security Council will not be an easy one due to the outstanding
international problems still plaguing the world.
"We will enter the UNSC in a situation laden with challenges,"
Nugroho told reporters after meeting with President Soeharto at
Merdeka Palace yesterday.
Nugroho identified the Bosnian war as one of the most urgent
questions to be addressed.
Soeharto himself was quoted as stressing the role of Indonesia
in contributing to international peace and security.
Following yesterday's meeting, there were signals that the
President would attend a one-day summit meeting of Security
Council member heads of state on Jan. 31, 1995.
Along with Botswana, Germany, Italy and Honduras, Indonesia on
Jan. 1 will begin a two-year term as a non-permanent member of
the Security Council. This will mark Indonesia's second tenure at
the UNSC after previously serving in 1974.
Nugroho surmised that the strength and weakness of the
Security Council in solving these issues would depend on the
posture of the member states themselves.
"As long as there is no unity, especially among the permanent
members, it will be difficult for the Security Council to take
concrete steps in resolving various international crises," he
argued.
The Security Council is made-up of 15 members, five of whom --
Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- have
permanent status and hold veto powers.
Apart from working closely with the permanent members,
Indonesia will forge ties with other Council members who are also
part of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Indonesia currently chairs the 111-nation Movement and along
with Botswana, Nigeria, Oman and Rwanda will make the "NAM
Caucus" in the Security Council.
In light of the tremendous tasks ahead, Indonesia has also
taken steps in beefing-up its staff at the UN Permanent
Representative office in New York and has created a special task
force for this new responsibility.
Just weeks ago the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' director of
multilateral economic cooperation, Makarim Wibisono, was posted
to New York as Nugroho's deputy to tackle UNSC related matters.
"The UNSC is like the cockpit of the UN plane and we have now
been given the opportunity to participate in important decision
making concerning international peace and security," Nugroho
said.
East Timor
When queried about the East Timor problem, Nugroho noted that
it was less and less becoming a preoccupation for the UN and the
world in general.
Despite the occurrence of minor demonstrations and the
insistence of certain parties to badger the issue in the
international forums, Nugroho was confident that it in no way
undermined the credibility and achievement of Indonesia.
"It does not alter the fact that in the world it is no longer
a primary issue," he said.
He further suggested that United Nations Secretary General
Boutros Boutros-Ghali was attempting to settle the issue outside
of the UN General Assembly through meetings between Jakarta and
Lisbon.
Under the aegis of Boutros-Ghali, Portuguese and Indonesian
foreign ministers have met to discuss the East Timor problem. The
next meeting is due to take place in Geneva on Jan. 9.
"The Secretary General is laboring so that the international
community does not feel the need to discuss the issue at the
General Assembly," he remarked while adding that the General
Assembly had other important things to discuss. (mds)