India becoming member of the UN Security Council
Regional, Analysis, 10/30/2007

A person interested in democratic practice and world peace might be puzzled as to why one of the world's most populous nations, with a democratic system, is not represented as a permanent member at the UN Security Council, a place where a few countries can have great influence on world events.

I have described the UN Security Council as a place hostile to liberty and democracy, and where the countries on the council, the permanent five member, USA, Russia, China, France, and the UK, are more interested in pursuing their own interests, at the expense of such ideals.

These five permanent members seem to have a stranglehold on the council in preventing its transformation into a democratic place. As a results, countries which I think should be members, such as Germany, Japan, India, Brazil, and many others such as Mexico and Italy based on population size and economy and possibly their political system, are unable to become members. Also, part of the problem, as I had explained previously, is that many countries of the third world do not really have an interest in seeing democracy prosper, at the UN or at home, and this fear, is played upon skillfully by the UN permanent members of the UN Security Council, to keep these undemocratic countries from seeking to make the Security Council a more representative and democratic body.

But there maybe enough members in the General Assembly that do want to promote an effective UN representative institutions. So a way around the Security Council maybe more productive by voting such members in into the Council, despite the Council's desire. The General Assembly has many powers, and there probably is a rule or obscure method that allows doing so, if they want to do it. Even a symbolic vote on adding members would be a very significant statement.

The General Assembly can choose India for example as the subject of the first vote. Who would want to oppose the admission of India publicly? Maybe Pakistan, since they have had an unfriendly history between them, but aside from this, it would seem that most everyone would support India's admission. The permanent members will do their best, indirectly to prevent such a vote or admission of India, as they do not want anyone taking away from their privileged positions. The USA would want maybe to extract some concessions from India, or China and Russia maybe very reluctant, since someone, or themselves, will convince, that there is geopolitical political power balance to maintain and play, and each will scare the other of such an admission. USA may claim or say that China is reluctant to have India on the council, since they maybe be strategic competitor or enemy, or such similar talk, and the same from Russia, and all this is supposed to be studied and delayed, and all the fancy diplomatic moves will be undertaken to ensure a quiet death for such a move.

But getting around this is much easier that one may image. We have to shame the permanent countries into doing what is proper. This can be done by asking one of the Security Council members to ask for a vote on a resolution accepting India. If no one proposes such a resolution, then that exposes, for example, that the USA, the UK or France, supposed promoters of democracy are not interested in democracy. If Russia does not do it, then all these ideals of past Russian desire for world peace are just not true. India can put these countries on the spot by, and this is the critical part, asking them publicly and not privately or as part of a deal, to propose such a resolution. India can ask the USA publicly to do so, and if it does not, can ask the UK next, and France etc.

India should also ask the UN General Assembly for such a resolution. There is no need for a great bargain between all the countries with ambitions to become members of the Security Council to all become members at the same time. Such a great bargain is certain to spoil the whole deal. One member at a time is the best way to do it, and as each member gets in, it becomes easier for others to get in the council, since the council becomes more democratic with each member. So in effect, those who will be seeking to admit many countries at the same time, and have some kind of a package deal, maybe either aiming to spoil the deal, by complicating it, or by limiting the deal to a very small number of countries, by saying such admission are too complex at this time to deal with. These are nice excuses they can use.

India, as a leading nonaligned country should get much support for this, and if it does not, then this would expose these General Assembly countries' motives. But the trick is that India must publicly ask these countries to accept a vote on this resolution, not whether they will vote for the resolution or against it. Let the world citizens see what the UN General Assembly is composed of, and what each of these world governments each stand for. If the UN promotes a more informed world citizens, then few things would as informative as getting to know the views of its member countries, and how much they are in favor of promoting representative forms of government.

Of course, Germany, Japan, Brazil, Italy, Mexico and others should work hard to greatly help India in this effort. No chance should be given for the UN General Assembly members to avoid bringing to vote such individual resolutions. And with such resolutions at hand, every week after such a vote or before it, a vote can be held on admitting Germany, Japan and others who want to be members to the Council.

This is one small step that will have considerable consequences on how the world govern its affairs by creating a more representative form of government at the UN Security Council, and as a result can help make our world a better place.

By,
Jamil Kazoun
Author of the book: A Third American Revolution: A New World Government . A Plan for Liberty, Justice and Peace.

The author is available for interviews about his book and the conference "World Peace 2010" which has a goal of world peace by 2010, where the first conference is being held in Ohio, USA, in February of 2008.

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