Swiss call for debate on Security Council

Switzerland and four other small countries have demanded an open debate to discuss their plans to improve the working methods of the United Nations Security Council.

But two permanent members of the Security Council, China and Russia, said they were against such a move, arguing that the issue was the business of the council alone.

The three other permanent members – Britain, France and the United States – were in favour of the debate, according to Switzerland’s UN ambassador Peter Maurer.

Representatives of the so-called S5 initiative, which comprises Switzerland, Costa Rica, Jordan, Liechtenstein and Singapore, had put forward a series of planned reforms for more transparency and involvement of countries concerned in 2005.

They argued that Security Council reforms should also be discussed in the General Assembly.

Although the Security Council never officially discussed the proposed reforms, some of the recommendations have been put into practice.

Maurer said Switzerland had also been active with Mexico on other issues, including a new draft for a General Assembly resolution on environment policy and climate protection.