NAM wants veto eliminated at UN

NAM wants veto eliminated at UN

BANDUNG (JP): The Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) will keep up its
efforts to ensure that the use of veto rights at the United
Nations is not used too often or inappropriately, the chairman of
the NAM's executive committee and ambassador-at-large, Nana
Sutresna, said Wednesday.

Speaking on Indonesia's role in NAM at Padjadjaran University
here, Nana said that if the right of veto in the UN could not be
abolished, it should be exercised properly.

Nana said President Soeharto, in his 1992 address as chairman
of NAM, warned of the improper use of veto rights.

In that address the President said countries which had the
right of veto should not block decisions made by a majority in
the Security Council.

The five countries which have the right of veto are the United
States, Russia, France, Great Britain, and China.

These countries, and ten other countries, including Indonesia,
are members of the UN Security Council.

"President Soeharto suggested a double-veto, which means that
if a resolution is not accepted and vetoed by one of the five
countries, then a veto from another country which has the right
of veto must be sought," Nana said.

This is the veto system NAM is now seeking.

"The right of veto is included in the UN charter. Therefore,
NAM must find a form (to limit the veto) which is acceptable to
the countries with the right of veto," he said.

Efforts to reduce or eliminate the use of veto must be made
because countries with the right of veto did not want to lose
this right, he said.

"If NAM countries could organize their position, there would
be a bargain between NAM and the industrialized countries," he
said.

NAM has also made good progress in settling debts owed by
developing countries, Nana said.

Industrialized countries have agreed to solve the problems
with the agreement on the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries
Initiative.

"Deals on Trust Fund and the improvement of the International
Monetary Fund's structural facilities have also been reached,"
Nana said.

He said another important step was the commitment of Paris
Club member countries to raise bilateral debt burden from 67
percent to 80 percent. (ahy/sur)