Ukraine to support idea of limiting veto right for UN Security Council members

France and Mexico suggest restricting use of the right to veto in cases of crimes against humanity.

As the Ukrayinski Novyny (Ukrainian News) Ukrainian news agency reports, spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine Maryana Betsa said at the briefing that the Ministry expects the member states of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly to support the initiative of France and Mexico to restrict use of the right to veto for permanent members of the UN Security Council.

“The joint declaration of France and Mexico (restricting use of the right to veto when addressing situations that have signs of crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide) will be presented by the ministers of the two countries during at the meeting in New York on September 30, where a lot of support from the member states is expected,” she said.

Betsa announced that Ukraine had joined elaboration of the declaration and the Ukrainian delegation intended to take all possible measures for Ukraine to be elected as non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2016-2017.

As the agency reported, President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko intends to discuss the possibility of restricting use of the right to veto by the Security Council members at the UN General Assembly session. Sixty-seven countries have already supported the initiative of blocking veto in cases of conflict of special cruelty.

As a reminder, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Samantha Power said that Russia’s frequent use of the right to veto in the Security Council jeopardized the legitimacy of the international body. According to her, if it continues and not only in the case of Syria and Ukraine, the United States and other like-minded countries could lose confidence in the UN Security Council and begin to act independently.