GCC lauds Saudi Arabia’s call to reform UNSC

Riyadh: The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) secretariat has lauded Saudi Arabia’s call to reform the UN Security Council (UNSC) to enable it to effectively and practically carry out its duties.

In a statement, Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al Zayani, secretary general of the GCC, stressed in a statement on the importance of the call to achieve a fundamental reform in the system of the UNSC in a way to support the council.

The council is responsible for the main consequences of the global peace and security issues, especially that the world needs the security council’s role and its legal legitimacy in light of expansion of political and security turmoil in the world, the statement added.

On Friday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement, said that the kingdom apologises for not accepting the two-year term on the Security Council due to its inability to carry out its duties and assume its responsibilities, especially towards the Arab issues.

Al Zayani said that the kingdom’s stance stressed its commitment to the international legitimacy and reflected its sincere desire to activate the role of the Security Council and other UN agencies to achieve global calls in this regard and make the world more cooperative, stable and secure.

Bahrain on Saturday welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to reject a newly won seat in the United Nations Security Council. Its Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ganem Al Buainain said it is a strong message that exposes UN’s double standards. Parliament Chairman Khalifa Al Dhahrani also hailed the decision and termed it as “historic”.

Saudi Arabia’s decision of not accepting the seat was a message to the West that double standards by the Council is unacceptable to the Gulf and Arab states, said Bahrain’s largest pro-government political group, National Unity Assembly, and newly formed Al Fateh Youth Coalition.

“This is a clear message to the West that Saudi Arabia rejects the Council as it did not perform its duties in supporting the Palestinian cause and putting an end (to the crisis) in Syria,” said National Unity Assembly chief Shaikh Abdul Lateef Al Mahmood.

“The Saudi Arabia’s courageous position also puts into the spotlight the inability of the international community in dealing with the Syrian situation and putting an end to the regime of President Bashar Al Assad,” Al Fateh Youth Coalition said in a statement.