Indonesia stands firm on UN reform

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia is continuing its campaign for reform at the United Nations Security Council, reiterating that the current structure no longer reflects the existing world power.

President Soeharto told Emil Salim, a member of the UN High- level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development, that Indonesia's stance on the issue remains firm.

"President Soeharto has asked that efforts be made so that the council reflect the real world power, by admitting, for example, countries with populations over 200 million people, to have permanent seats," Emil told journalists after reporting to Soeharto on the results of the board's meeting in New York recently.

Currently, Indonesia has a non-permanent seat at the council. The major countries holding permanent seats are the United States, Russia. China, France and Britain.

Emil said the council is dominated by countries who triumphed in the World War II, "although they might not be winning in development."

The meeting, which was presided over by UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, discussed UN development and the growing demands for reform.

The results will be discussed further by the UN General Assembly in October, which will coincide with the body's golden anniversary.

Emil, who was appointed to the board in 1993, said Indonesia's presence at the meeting was given to voice problems specific to the interests of developing countries.

He said a number of developing countries have become "annoyed" because of "the arrogance of the developed countries", whose campaign for their interests is often conducted at the expense of the other countries.

"The developed countries are imposing their wishes on other countries," he said. "Look at their trade wars, they are ignoring the developing countries."

"Look at members of the Group of Seven industrialized countries, who always want to talk about the world economy, but without involving developing countries," he said. "What are we then? Where's our place?"

Emil reminded everyone that the UN was established based on the principles of democracy, pluralism and accountability. "Those principles have been violated the past 50 years, this is the source of the developing countries' annoyance," he said.

Indonesia, current chairman of the Non-Aligned Movement, has been in the forefront in campaigning for UN reforms. However, UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali has repeatedly reminded the proponents for such reforms that they will have to face an arduous route to succeed.

In order to revise the Security Council's membership, or abolish the members' veto rights, the UN would have to revise the UN Charter. This campaign will need the agreement of the five members of the Council, who have the right to veto such a move.

Emil said that the high-level advisory board on sustainable development also discussed the roles of international monetary organizations in the UN. (swe)