United Nations (United States) - (AFP) - The United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution Tuesday requiring the five permanent members of the UN Security Council to justify their use of vetoes, in a rare reform that drew applause and was revived by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

The measure, which directly targets the United States, China, Russia, France and the United Kingdom, the five countries that alone have veto power, was proposed by Liechtenstein to make them "pay a higher political price" when they use their vetoes, said an ambassador from a country that does not have veto power, who requested anonymity. .

However, will the reform prompt the five permanent members to reduce the use of the veto stipulated in the United Nations Charter, or will it have an incentive effect to increase the use of it to stop the passage of unacceptable texts?

Only the future can answer this question. Some countries may push the United States to veto texts on Israel. On the other hand, Washington can put forward a draft resolution to tighten sanctions on North Korea, which has been under discussion for several weeks, for a vote in the Security Council, despite knowing that Moscow and Beijing will veto it.

The reform, which was presented for the first time two and a half years ago, stipulates that the General Assembly convene "within ten working days after the opposition of one or more permanent members of the Security Council to discuss the situation that prompted it to use the veto."

Nearly 100 countries have joined Liechtenstein to sponsor this text, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and all European Union member states.

Russia and China did not join the parties that presented the text, which would further contribute to the "division" of the United Nations, said a Russian diplomat who requested anonymity before adopting it.

The Ambassador of Liechtenstein, Christian Wenawesser, confirmed that the project "does not target anyone," stressing that it is "not directed against Russia," while voting on it after fruitless attempts for more than two years coincides with the paralysis of the Security Council to stop the Russian invasion due to Moscow's right of veto.

As for the United States, Russia has been taking advantage of its veto power for two decades, and the approved text makes it possible to address this matter.

Christian Wenawesser said the resolution aims to "strengthen the role of the United Nations, multilateralism and the voices of all of us who do not have the right of veto and are not represented in the Security Council on matters of international peace and security."
The text is non-binding and nothing prevents a state that used the right of veto from not appearing to justify it before the General Assembly. An ambassador said, on condition of anonymity, that its immediate application would "shed light" on the use of this right and on the "obstruction processes" in the Security Council.
In addition to the five permanent members of the Security Council, the Council also includes ten members who are elected for two-year terms that do not have veto power.

Among the sponsors of the resolution, in addition to Ukraine, are Japan and Germany, two countries that aspire to obtain permanent membership in the event that the Security Council is expanded - an expansion that has reached a dead end for years - to better represent today's world.

But neither Brazil, which indicated on Tuesday that its veto power could be useful in securing peace, nor India, the other country seeking permanent membership, are on the list of sponsors obtained by AFP.

Since the first veto used by the Soviet Union in 1946 in the Syrian and Lebanese files, Russia has resorted to it 143 times, while the United States has used it only 86 times, the United Kingdom 30 times, and China and France each 18 times.