India voices frustration at UN for being 'stuck in time warp'

Voicing its frustration at the UN's "persistent inability to even effectively engage with the tasks at hand", India has strongly criticised the world body for dragging its feet on passing sanctions on leaders of groups that it has itself designated as terrorist entities -- in a reference to the delay in slapping sanctions on Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.

India's UN envoy Syed Akbaruddin, in a strong speech, said the UN Security Council, which he described as "stuck in its own time warp and politics", "can only be described as working randomly on the basis of a mix of ad-hocism, scrambling and political paralysis".

"While our collective conscience is ravaged everyday by terrorists in some region or another, the Security Council gives itself nine months to consider whether to sanction leaders of organi\sations it has itself designated as terrorist entities," he said on Monday.

His reference was to UNSC permanent member China again extending the "technical hold" on India's move to get the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief designated as a terrorist by the UN.

The six-month validity of the technical hold lapsed in late September and China has sought its another three-month extension. India has blamed the Jaish for the January 2 terror attack on the Pathankot air base and the September terror attack on an army camp in Uri, in Jammu and Kashmir.

Akbaruddin, speaking on the issue of "equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council", also stressed on the "urgency" for reform of "this relic which has long been unresponsive to the needs of our time".

In a strong critique, the envoy said the "lack of representativeness of its membership, especially in the permanent category, which was decided upon 70 years ago adds to its lack of legitimacy and credibility".

He also slammed the UNSC for its decisions or lack of decisions on crucial issues of global importance. He said, "The inability to respond to humanitarian situations, terrorist threats and peacekeeping vulnerabilities during this year itself are part of the price that is being paid for our lack of progress on this critical matter" of reform.

Akbaruddin said India welcomes the newly-founded Group of Friends on Security Council Reform as a move to reach beyond long established groups from different regions. India has joined the group as member.

"We hope that the Group of Friends will work together with the aim of accelerating the negotiating process for a meaningful reform of the Council based on agreed objectives of -- early reform, text-based negotiations and expansion in both categories of membership. We welcome other Member States joining the Group."

--IANS

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