Iran: UNSC promotes power monopoly

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 22:15:36 GMT

Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Saeed Jalili (R) and the UN General Assembly chief Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann meets in Tehran.

A senior Iranian official has called for a fundamental review of the 'power-based' structure of the United Nations Security Council.

"The structure of the UN Security Council has been built based on power rather than democracy," Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, Saeed Jalili, said in a Saturday meeting with the visiting UN General Assembly chief, Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann.

Founded in 1946, the UNSC has 5 permanent members and 10 elected member. The permanent members - Britain, France, Russia, China and The United States - reserve the power to veto any resolution.

While all substantive resolutions require the support of 9 members, under Article 27 of the UN Charter, a single veto can prevent the adoption of any resolution.

"The more powerful a country is, the more it deems it has the right to determine the fate of other countries," Jalili said, arguing that such a mentality has driven the superpowers to a "monopolistic and self-centered" state.

Should a non-permanent member of the UNSC win the support of either of the five permanent members, it can evade UN resolutions. The United States has so far vetoed over 40 resolutions against Israel.

Jalili also urged a review in the world's economic structure in a bid to "prevent turning economic relations into a political means."

Brockmann is in Tehran to attend a summit of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO).

The UN General Assembly's senior advisor, Paul Oquist, said the assembly chief will also hold meetings with top Iranian officials during his six-day visit to the country. Oquist added that Brockmann's visit is also part of a tour to promote the findings of an international conference in New York on the global financial crisis (June 1-4).