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)