UN General Assembly Emphasizes Importance of Enhancing Cooperation with Security Council on Veto Use
صورة: وكالة الأنباء الكويتية (كونا)
UN General Assembly Vice President Christoph Heusgen emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation with the Security Council regarding the use of the veto, following Russia's veto against the extension of the MINURSO mandate in Western Sahara, which led to the termination of the mission.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
New York, November 11 (KUNA) -- The Deputy President of the United Nations General Assembly, Christoph Maria Steier, emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation and coordination between the General Assembly and the UN Security Council, within the framework of their shared responsibility for safeguarding international peace and security. This statement was made during a General Assembly session held on Tuesday evening to discuss Russia’s use of its veto power against a US draft resolution on extending the mandate of the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO), which led to the non-renewal of its mandate and the termination of its operations after 35 years in the territory.
Steier said that discussions on the use of the veto reflect the shared responsibility of the two UN organs for promoting international peace and security, noting that the initiative serves as a framework for activating this responsibility and enhancing cooperation between them. He praised the efforts of the personnel who served in the mission and the troop-contributing countries, recalling the 20 individuals who lost their lives while carrying out their duties under the UN flag in Western Sahara.
The Security Council failed on October 30 to adopt the US draft resolution to extend MINURSO’s mandate for an additional year, which included a provision recognizing Morocco’s autonomy proposal as the basis for negotiations, after Russia vetoed it. A Russian alternative draft resolution to extend the mission’s mandate also failed to secure the necessary support, leading to the expiration of its mandate on October 31 and the initiation of procedures to wind down its operations. (End) A.S.T. / M.N.F.
