Indonesia's Nugroho takes over UNSC chairmanship

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's senior diplomat Nugroho Wisnumurti officially takes over the chairmanship of the powerful United Nations Security Council today, with a plateful of controversial and complex issues on the agenda, ranging from the Bosnian conflict to the UN economic sanctions against Iraq.

The head of the Indonesian Permanent Representative Office at the United Nations headquarters in New York will be president of the 15-member council for the next month.

"This is both an honor and a challenge, because the council chairman has to show leadership, particularly in dealing with world crises," Nugroho told Antara in New York on Sunday.

The chairmanship is seen largely as ceremonial with little real power because the council's five permanent members -- the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France -- still call the shots, given their vetoing power.

Indonesia is at odds with the big powers on several international issues, most notably the conflict in Bosnia Herzegovina. Indonesia, along with dozens of Moslem countries, has been calling for an end the to arms embargo in Bosnia, a move which they say would allow the Bosnians to defend themselves against the better armed Serbian aggressors.

Previous efforts to have the arms embargo lifted had been vetoed by the council's permanent members.

Nugroho said the Bosnian conflict is expected to become one of the main issues to be debated by the council in August, especially given the recent fall of Srebrenica and Zepa to Serbian hands, despite the UN's declaration that these are "safe areas".

He noted that every Security Council member is deeply concerned at the situation in Bosnia. "But, regrettably, this concern is not matched by a commitment by the permanent members to take firm action."

Another issue expected to be debated at the council this month is the UN economic sanctions against Iraq, Nugroho said.

There have been calls, from Indonesia included, to ease the sanctions on humanitarian grounds, but the United States and several other countries are objecting to this call, insisting that Baghdad first destroy all its biological weapons facilities.

Nugroho said that in mid-August, the Security Council will also mark the end of World War II in the Pacific. "On that occasion, I will present a statement as Security Council Chairman."

Indonesia takes over the chairmanship from the Honduras representative, Gerardo Martinez Blanco.

The position is rotated in alphabetical order among the 15 council members. The 10 non-permanent members of the council are Argentina, Botswana, the Czech Republic, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia, Italy, Nigeria, Rwanda and Oman. (emb)