The UN Security Council is urging Myanmar's government to allow international investigators to help probe allegations of human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims, saying it remains "gravely concerned" at their plight. 
 
In a letter to Myanmar's leaders obtained today by The Associated Press, the council noted the government's commitment to investigate all allegations of violence. 
 
It said independent and transparent investigations "with the involvement of the international community ... Would turn this commitment into concrete action and ensure that all perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses are held to account." 
 
The council also urged Myanmar's government to grant U.N. Agencies and humanitarian organisations immediate access to Rakhine state.

Rohingya insurgent attacks last August were followed by a military crackdown that led some 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

In a letter to Myanmar's leaders obtained today by The Associated Press, the council noted the government's commitment to investigate all allegations of violence

The UN Security Council is urging Myanmar's government to allow international investigators to help probe allegations of human rights violations against Rohingya Muslims, saying it remains "gravely concerned" at their plight. In a letter to Myanmar's leaders obtained today by The Associated Press, the council noted the government's commitment to investigate all allegations of violence. It said independent and transparent investigations "with the involvement of the international community ... Would turn this commitment into concrete action and ensure that all perpetrators of human rights violations and abuses are held to account." The council also urged Myanmar's government to grant U.N. Agencies and humanitarian organisations immediate access to Rakhine state. Rohingya insurgent attacks last August were followed by a military crackdown that led some 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh.

UN: International experts should help probe Myanmar abuses

The UN Security Council is expected to give its backing today to the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya in December.

The council has scheduled a meeting to adopt a French-drafted presidential statement that would welcome "the momentum generated" by an international conference on Libya hosted by President Emmanuel Macron on May 29.

Libya plunged into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since 2014, the country has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes.

The draft presidential statement would put the Security Council on record saying that "the current political and security situation in Libya is not sustainable." And it would note "the resounding call of all Libyans for credible, inclusive and peaceful elections in order to achieve a united and stable Libya." At the Paris conference, rival Libyan leaders agreed on a political roadmap leading to elections on&nbsp;December 10.

The draft presidential statement welcomes their commitment "to work constructively with the UN to organize credible and peaceful parliamentary and presidential elections, and to respect the results." It also welcomes the parties' recognition "of the importance of developing a constitutional basis for elections." The statement further recognizes the key role of UN envoy Ghassan Salame "in consulting with Libyan parties to set the constitutional basis for elections and to adopt the necessary laws."

The draft notes the commitment of parties to the Paris agreement "to organize an inclusive political conference" under UN auspices to follow up on implementation of the roadmap.

It would also express concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, especially in Derna where clashes have been ongoing since April and would call on all parties "to exercise restraint."

The draft presidential statement would put the Security Council on record saying that "the current political and security situation in Libya is not sustainable."

The UN Security Council is expected to give its backing today to the holding of presidential and parliamentary elections in Libya in December. The council has scheduled a meeting to adopt a French-drafted presidential statement that would welcome "the momentum generated" by an international conference on Libya hosted by President Emmanuel Macron on May 29. Libya plunged into chaos following a 2011 uprising that toppled and later killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Since 2014, the country has been split between rival governments and parliaments based in the western and eastern regions, each backed by different militias and tribes. The draft presidential statement would put the Security Council on record saying that "the current political and security situation in Libya is not sustainable." And it would note "the resounding call of all Libyans for credible, inclusive and peaceful elections in order to achieve a united and stable Libya." At the Paris conference, rival Libyan leaders agreed on a political roadmap leading to elections on December 10. The draft presidential statement welcomes their commitment "to work constructively with the UN to organize credible and peaceful parliamentary and presidential elections, and to respect the results." It also welcomes the parties' recognition "of the importance of developing a constitutional basis for elections." The statement further recognizes the key role of UN envoy Ghassan Salame "in consulting with Libyan parties to set the constitutional basis for elections and to adopt the necessary laws." The draft notes the commitment of parties to the Paris agreement "to organize an inclusive political conference" under UN auspices to follow up on implementation of the roadmap. It would also express concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, especially in Derna where clashes have been ongoing since April and would call on all parties "to exercise restraint."

UN council expected to back elections in Libya in December

Russia has asked for a UN Security Council meeting over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain, the country's ambassador to the UN announced Wednesday.

Vassily Nebenzia said Russia was requesting a Thursday meeting at 1900 GMT over the British government`s implication of Moscow in the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia -- involvement the Kremlin has angrily denied.

Vassily Nebenzia said Russia was requesting a Thursday meeting over the British government`s implication of Moscow in the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia

Russia has asked for a UN Security Council meeting over the poisoning of a former Russian double agent in Britain, the country's ambassador to the UN announced Wednesday. Vassily Nebenzia said Russia was requesting a Thursday meeting at 1900 GMT over the British government`s implication of Moscow in the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia -- involvement the Kremlin has angrily denied.

Russia requests Security Council meeting on spy poisoning

India has supported the recent move of the unity government in Afghanistan for peace talks with the Taliban, saying the &quot;irreconcilable guns&quot; in the war-torn country need to be silenced.

At the 2nd Kabul Process Conference on February 28, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani called on the Taliban to participate in peace talks to &quot;save the country&quot; while offering security and incentives like passports to insurgents who take part in the negotiations.

Ghani had said a ceasefire must be agreed on and the Taliban should be declared a political group.

&quot;The Afghan Government&#39;s willingness for peace is despite the fact that armed groups have identified themselves and demonstrated to all of us that they are the irreconcilables,&quot; India&#39;s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin told the UN Security Council during an open debate on Afghanistan.

&quot;These efforts of the Afghan government calling on the armed groups to cease violence and join the national peace and reconciliation process that would protect the rights of all the citizens, including women, children and the minorities, deserves the full support,&quot; he said yesterday.

Akbaruddin, however, said it should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue the violence.

&quot;Any violence needs a robust response. The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced,&quot; he said.

He said India had invested over $2 billion in Afghanistan since 2002 in reconstruction and development of the country.

&quot;A strong focus of our work has been on nearly 550 High Impact Community Development Projects which run across areas such as education, health, agriculture and irrigation, power and energy,&quot; he added.

&quot;All these have a direct bearing on the improvement of lives of all Afghans including girls and women especially so for projects in education and healthcare sectors,&quot; the top Indian diplomat said.

Welcoming the focus of the Security Council on linkages between extremism, terrorism, drug production and illegal exploitation of natural resources of Afghanistan, he said that the increase in cultivation of poppy in areas under the control of the Taliban and the outfit&#39;s involvement in virtually all aspects of the opium trade suggested that it was akin to a drug cartel.

&quot;We hope that the Council will better utilize the range of tools available to it to deal with these transnational networks of drugs, terrorism and crime,&quot; he said.

Akbaruddin said that despite the international community&#39;s efforts, those supporting the terrorists affecting Afghanistan have not been deterred.

&quot;There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support the dark agendas of terrorist organisations like the Taliban, Haqqani Network, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, LeT and JeM. Indeed the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed,&quot; Akbaruddin said.

A resurgent Taliban has been blamed for much of the uptick in violence in Afghanistan since the US and NATO forces ended their combat missions in 2014.

A Taliban attacker killed over 100 people and injured more than 230 others after driving an ambulance filled with explosives into the heart of the city on January 27.

The Taliban claimed the responsibility for the attack.

A week before the ambulance attack, militants stormed a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing 22 people, including 14 foreigners.

"Any violence needs a robust response. The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced," said Syed Akbaruddin

India has supported the recent move of the unity government in Afghanistan for peace talks with the Taliban, saying the "irreconcilable guns" in the war-torn country need to be silenced. At the 2nd Kabul Process Conference on February 28, Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani called on the Taliban to participate in peace talks to "save the country" while offering security and incentives like passports to insurgents who take part in the negotiations. Ghani had said a ceasefire must be agreed on and the Taliban should be declared a political group. "The Afghan Government's willingness for peace is despite the fact that armed groups have identified themselves and demonstrated to all of us that they are the irreconcilables," India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations Syed Akbaruddin told the UN Security Council during an open debate on Afghanistan. "These efforts of the Afghan government calling on the armed groups to cease violence and join the national peace and reconciliation process that would protect the rights of all the citizens, including women, children and the minorities, deserves the full support," he said yesterday. Akbaruddin, however, said it should be clear to the armed opposition that there would be no tolerance for those who continue the violence. "Any violence needs a robust response. The irreconcilable guns need to be silenced," he said. He said India had invested over $2 billion in Afghanistan since 2002 in reconstruction and development of the country. "A strong focus of our work has been on nearly 550 High Impact Community Development Projects which run across areas such as education, health, agriculture and irrigation, power and energy," he added. "All these have a direct bearing on the improvement of lives of all Afghans including girls and women especially so for projects in education and healthcare sectors," the top Indian diplomat said. Welcoming the focus of the Security Council on linkages between extremism, terrorism, drug production and illegal exploitation of natural resources of Afghanistan, he said that the increase in cultivation of poppy in areas under the control of the Taliban and the outfit's involvement in virtually all aspects of the opium trade suggested that it was akin to a drug cartel. "We hope that the Council will better utilize the range of tools available to it to deal with these transnational networks of drugs, terrorism and crime," he said. Akbaruddin said that despite the international community's efforts, those supporting the terrorists affecting Afghanistan have not been deterred. "There are still those who provide sanctuaries to support the dark agendas of terrorist organisations like the Taliban, Haqqani Network, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, LeT and JeM. Indeed the challenges posed by cross-border terrorism emanating from safe havens and sanctuaries to Afghanistan and to our region must be addressed," Akbaruddin said. A resurgent Taliban has been blamed for much of the uptick in violence in Afghanistan since the US and NATO forces ended their combat missions in 2014. A Taliban attacker killed over 100 people and injured more than 230 others after driving an ambulance filled with explosives into the heart of the city on January 27. The Taliban claimed the responsibility for the attack. A week before the ambulance attack, militants stormed a luxury hotel in Kabul, killing 22 people, including 14 foreigners.

Irreconcilable guns need to be silenced in Afghanistan: India tell UNSC

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said.

US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as &quot;undeniable&quot; evidence that a <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-intercepts-yemen-rebel-missile-over-riyadh-state-media-27194" target="_blank">ballistic missile fired by Yemen&#39;s Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia</a> in November was Iranian-made.

That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels.

Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base.&nbsp;

&quot;The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had &#39;Made in Iran&#39; stickers all over it,&quot; Haley told a press conference last month.

The &quot;evidence&quot; stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones.

Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting &quot;fabricated&quot; evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made.

Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran.

A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of &quot;common origin&quot; but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source.

The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington.

It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year.

Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump&#39;s decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel&#39;s capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts.

The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump&#39;s Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation.

The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran

The UN Security Council will travel to Washington on Monday to inspect debris from missiles allegedly provided by Iran to Yemen's Huthi rebels and hold meetings at the White House, diplomats said. The ambassadors are expected to meet with President Donald Trump as the US administration seeks international action against Iran, diplomats said. US Ambassador Nikki Haley last month presented the fragments as "undeniable" evidence that a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Huthi rebels at Saudi Arabia in November was Iranian-made. That claim was bolstered when a UN panel of experts concluded in a recent report to the council that Iran had violated the arms embargo on Yemen by failing to block supplies of missiles to the rebels. Haley has invited her UN counterparts to see the missile debris stored in a warehouse at a Washington military base. "The evidence is undeniable. The weapons might as well have had 'Made in Iran' stickers all over it," Haley told a press conference last month. The "evidence" stored in Washington includes other pieces of military material allegedly provided by Iran including fragments of an anti-tank missile and drones. Iran has strongly denied arming the Huthis and last month accused Haley of presenting "fabricated" evidence that the November 4 missile fired at Riyadh airport was Iranian-made. Haley is seeking to persuade the Security Council to take action against Iran, possibly by imposing sanctions, but will likely face opposition from Russia, which has friendly ties with Tehran. A separate report last month said UN officials had examined the missile fragments and found that they were of "common origin" but they were unable to reach any firm conclusions about whether Iran was the source. The US mission did not immediately respond to a request for information about the council visit to Washington. It will be the second time that the top UN envoys meet with Trump, who sat down for a lunch meeting with the ambassadors in April last year. Relations between the United Nations and the US administration have been strained over Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, his threats to scrap the Iran nuclear deal and funding cuts. The council voted 14-1 to reject Trump's Jerusalem decision, prompting Haley to resort to the US veto to block the condemnation. The General Assembly later approved by a vote of 128 to 9, with 35 abstentions, the same resolution.

UN Security Council to inspect 'Iranian-made' missile debris

Al-Qaeda&#39;s global network remains &quot;remarkably resilient,&quot; posing more of a threat in some regions than the Islamic State group, UN sanctions monitors said in a report today.

The report sent to the Security Council said that Al- Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), based in Yemen, served as a communications hub for the UN-designated terror group as a whole.

&quot;Al-Qaeda affiliates remain the dominant terror threat in some regions, such as Somalia and Yemen, a fact demonstrated by a continuous stream of attacks and foiled operations,&quot; said the report.

In West Africa and South Asia, Al-Qaeda-linked groups pose as serious a threat as IS affiliates who &quot;currently remain unable to reach a dominant position,&quot; it said.

UN member-states, however, see a potential for linkups between Al-Qaeda and IS groups to support each other, warning that in some regions this could be a new threat, the report said.

The Islamic State lost its self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq last year but Al-Qaeda &quot;remained remarkably resilient,&quot; said the UN monitors.

In Syria, the Al-Nusrah Front &quot;remains one of the strongest and largest Al-Qaeda affiliates globally,&quot; with its fighters &quot;using threats, violence and material incentives&quot; to absorb smaller armed groups.

Al-Nusrah commands between 7,000 and 11,000 fighters, including several thousand foreigners, and has its main power base in Syria&#39;s Idlib province.

In Libya, IS remains intent on regaining a foothold following the loss of Sirte and has reinforced its presence with fighters returning from Iraq and Syria, the report said.

Fighters from Boko Haram, which has expanded its reach from northern Nigeria, are maintaining small cells in Libya who could then move on to other regional countries.

&quot;Member-states assessed that there is a potential for the transfer of leaders from ISIL in Libya to other conflict zones in West Africa and the Sahel region, including Mali,&quot; said the report.

The Islamic State lost its self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq last year but Al-Qaeda "remained remarkably resilient," said the UN monitors

Al-Qaeda's global network remains "remarkably resilient," posing more of a threat in some regions than the Islamic State group, UN sanctions monitors said in a report today. The report sent to the Security Council said that Al- Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), based in Yemen, served as a communications hub for the UN-designated terror group as a whole. "Al-Qaeda affiliates remain the dominant terror threat in some regions, such as Somalia and Yemen, a fact demonstrated by a continuous stream of attacks and foiled operations," said the report. In West Africa and South Asia, Al-Qaeda-linked groups pose as serious a threat as IS affiliates who "currently remain unable to reach a dominant position," it said. UN member-states, however, see a potential for linkups between Al-Qaeda and IS groups to support each other, warning that in some regions this could be a new threat, the report said. The Islamic State lost its self-declared caliphate in Syria and Iraq last year but Al-Qaeda "remained remarkably resilient," said the UN monitors. In Syria, the Al-Nusrah Front "remains one of the strongest and largest Al-Qaeda affiliates globally," with its fighters "using threats, violence and material incentives" to absorb smaller armed groups. Al-Nusrah commands between 7,000 and 11,000 fighters, including several thousand foreigners, and has its main power base in Syria's Idlib province. In Libya, IS remains intent on regaining a foothold following the loss of Sirte and has reinforced its presence with fighters returning from Iraq and Syria, the report said. Fighters from Boko Haram, which has expanded its reach from northern Nigeria, are maintaining small cells in Libya who could then move on to other regional countries. "Member-states assessed that there is a potential for the transfer of leaders from ISIL in Libya to other conflict zones in West Africa and the Sahel region, including Mali," said the report.

Al-Qaeda still going strong as Islamic State crumbles: UN report

Myanmar&#39;s government has told the Security Council that this month was &quot;not the right time&quot; for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said on Thursday. 
 
Kuwait&#39;s Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April. 
 
&quot;They just think that this is not the right time for a visit,&quot; Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters. 
 
The council has demanded that hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya who were driven out of Rakhine state during an army crackdown be allowed to return. 
 
The ambassador said Myanmar authorities were trying to organize a visit for diplomats based in the country and had emphasized that &quot;tensions are high in Rakhine state at the moment.&quot; 
 
Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh and are living in refugee camps since August following the campaign that the United Nations has said was tantamount to ethnic cleansing. 
 
Last month, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to name a special envoy for Myanmar, but that appointment has yet to be made. 
 
China, a supporter of Myanmar&#39;s former ruling junta, and Russia voted against the resolution.&nbsp;

Myanmar's government has told the Security Council that this month was "not the right time" for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis

Myanmar's government has told the Security Council that this month was "not the right time" for a visit by the top UN body to see first-hand the Rohingya refugee crisis, the council president said on Thursday. Kuwait's Ambassador Mansour al-Otaibi said Myanmar authorities were not opposed to such a visit, which could take place in March or April. "They just think that this is not the right time for a visit," Otaibi, who holds the council presidency for February, told reporters at UN headquarters. The council has demanded that hundreds of thousands of Muslim Rohingya who were driven out of Rakhine state during an army crackdown be allowed to return. The ambassador said Myanmar authorities were trying to organize a visit for diplomats based in the country and had emphasized that "tensions are high in Rakhine state at the moment." Nearly 700,000 Rohingya have crossed into Bangladesh and are living in refugee camps since August following the campaign that the United Nations has said was tantamount to ethnic cleansing. Last month, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling on UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to name a special envoy for Myanmar, but that appointment has yet to be made. China, a supporter of Myanmar's former ruling junta, and Russia voted against the resolution.

Myanmar turns down UN Security Council visit

India&rsquo;s foreign policy, in its earliest avatar, was built in conformity with Prime Minister Pandit Nehru&rsquo;s vision. It remained so for the next 4 decades. The impression in post-colonial India has been that only Nehru was passionate about foreign affairs and rest in the Congress had different indulgences. If one goes through the correspondence between Patel and Nehru, the latter admits his own enthusiasm about foreign policy, and acknowledge the difference of opinion between him and his peers on many world issues.

Sardar Patel&rsquo;s image, on the other hand, is that of a prisoner of his own success like BR Ambedkar. As Ambedkar&rsquo;s career boils down to the making of the Constitution, Patel&rsquo;s repertoire comes down to the unification of India. &nbsp;

Patel passed away soon after the independence, leaving little or no public imprint of the world-view he espoused in numerous meetings of the Congress before and after independence.

Nonetheless, some of his observations on the United Nations Security Council remain pertinent even today. His views were built on India&rsquo;s early engagement with the UN-- the organisation that epitomised the new world order of the victors of World War II.

&nbsp;As observed by Sardar Patel so many decades ago, India and several other countries continue to face the same dilemma after 70 years. The member countries of the UN have to deal with an archaic and unfair Security Council which on multiple occasions has taken partisan positions on the issue of terrorism and civil conflict.

The matter was best illustrated during Justice Dalbir Singh&rsquo;s election when Britain came down to using the most archaic tool available to them. Britain bowed down under world pressure but the archaic tool persists. Despite world pressure, the United Nation Security Council continues to resist reform.

Sardar Patel&rsquo;s observation three years after its inception shows UN from a different light. We get to see the UN from the perspective of a newly independent nation which is trying to build a republic over a motley body of feudal states.

Sardar Patel in his Nagpur speech on 4th November 1948 said, &quot;You have seen what is happening in Hyderabad. The Nizam says, &#39;I do not want my case in Security Council.&#39; But Security Council says, &#39;We are seized of it.&#39; It is so because they have no other thing to do. Therefore, anything which comes before them, they go on discussing it which disturbs the security here or likely to disturb the security here and thereby it disturbs the security of the world and thus it is proper and fitting thing to call this organization an &ldquo;Insecurity Council&rdquo;. How far it is advisable to be the member of this august Organisation is a question which has to be seriously considered.&rdquo;

Sardar Patel in his speech elaborates further. &ldquo;Take Palestine, take Indonesia, take any question that has been referred to Security Council. It has not been able to dispose them and bring peace; they are all problems which they are not able to settle. So, in one way, the League of Nations was more or less a harmless organization. This organization if it does not improve itself is going to land the world into a terrific slaughter and destruction,&rdquo; he said.

Lastly, in a letter written on 28th March 1950, in response to Nehru&rsquo;s letter dated 26th March, a difference between them on a key issue was recorded. It is an issue which remains alive even today.

Nehru was upset that Sardar had discussed foreign policy with Members of Parliament, making uncharitable comments on his initiatives. Patel&rsquo;s reply was in response to it and the letter said, &ldquo;Some Muslim countries have recognized Israel but we have not done out of deference of the views our Muslim brethren.&rdquo;

Narsimaha Rao in his tenure established full diplomatic relations with Israel and it&rsquo;s no co-incidence which school of thought he belonged to in the Congress.

Coming back to the moot point, Sardar Patel&rsquo;s observation continues to be true for the UN, which behaves as a political body motivated only by national interest of big powers where interests come first and merit later. The romanticism related to the UN exists no more. It needs reforms and tough negotiation from various emerging economies.

I would end by quoting an excerpt from Sardar Patel&#39;s observation on Kashmir. &ldquo;We have seen what price we have paid by going to that Organisation. We went to UN to bring the dispute to an early end and we were maligned all over the world by the representatives of Pakistan. And people who had never seen this country and who did not understand what the problem of India and Pakistan or Kashmir was, - they began to hear the case from people who had no bone in in their tongue. They, therefore, went on talking anything that came into their mouth and for six months, it went on like that. They visited Kashmir, they visited Pakistan, they visited India, and had long and prolonged conversations and discussions. The other party did not. Eventually, they make proposals for cease-fire. The other party did not. Yet we are where we were.&nbsp; If we were to fight this out by armed forces and if United Nations Organisation is not able to do anything then instead of calling it a Security Council, it must be termed the &ldquo;Insecurity Council&rdquo; which disturbs the security of law.&rdquo;

&nbsp;

(Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

"...if United Nations Organisation is not able to do anything then instead of calling it a Security Council, it must be termed the ?Insecurity Council? which disturbs the security of law,? said Sardar Patel.

India’s foreign policy, in its earliest avatar, was built in conformity with Prime Minister Pandit Nehru’s vision. It remained so for the next 4 decades. The impression in post-colonial India has been that only Nehru was passionate about foreign affairs and rest in the Congress had different indulgences. If one goes through the correspondence between Patel and Nehru, the latter admits his own enthusiasm about foreign policy, and acknowledge the difference of opinion between him and his peers on many world issues. Sardar Patel’s image, on the other hand, is that of a prisoner of his own success like BR Ambedkar. As Ambedkar’s career boils down to the making of the Constitution, Patel’s repertoire comes down to the unification of India. Patel passed away soon after the independence, leaving little or no public imprint of the world-view he espoused in numerous meetings of the Congress before and after independence. Nonetheless, some of his observations on the United Nations Security Council remain pertinent even today. His views were built on India’s early engagement with the UN-- the organisation that epitomised the new world order of the victors of World War II. As observed by Sardar Patel so many decades ago, India and several other countries continue to face the same dilemma after 70 years. The member countries of the UN have to deal with an archaic and unfair Security Council which on multiple occasions has taken partisan positions on the issue of terrorism and civil conflict. The matter was best illustrated during Justice Dalbir Singh’s election when Britain came down to using the most archaic tool available to them. Britain bowed down under world pressure but the archaic tool persists. Despite world pressure, the United Nation Security Council continues to resist reform. Sardar Patel’s observation three years after its inception shows UN from a different light. We get to see the UN from the perspective of a newly independent nation which is trying to build a republic over a motley body of feudal states. Sardar Patel in his Nagpur speech on 4th November 1948 said, "You have seen what is happening in Hyderabad. The Nizam says, 'I do not want my case in Security Council.' But Security Council says, 'We are seized of it.' It is so because they have no other thing to do. Therefore, anything which comes before them, they go on discussing it which disturbs the security here or likely to disturb the security here and thereby it disturbs the security of the world and thus it is proper and fitting thing to call this organization an “Insecurity Council”. How far it is advisable to be the member of this august Organisation is a question which has to be seriously considered.” Sardar Patel in his speech elaborates further. “Take Palestine, take Indonesia, take any question that has been referred to Security Council. It has not been able to dispose them and bring peace; they are all problems which they are not able to settle. So, in one way, the League of Nations was more or less a harmless organization. This organization if it does not improve itself is going to land the world into a terrific slaughter and destruction,” he said. Lastly, in a letter written on 28th March 1950, in response to Nehru’s letter dated 26th March, a difference between them on a key issue was recorded. It is an issue which remains alive even today. Nehru was upset that Sardar had discussed foreign policy with Members of Parliament, making uncharitable comments on his initiatives. Patel’s reply was in response to it and the letter said, “Some Muslim countries have recognized Israel but we have not done out of deference of the views our Muslim brethren.” Narsimaha Rao in his tenure established full diplomatic relations with Israel and it’s no co-incidence which school of thought he belonged to in the Congress. Coming back to the moot point, Sardar Patel’s observation continues to be true for the UN, which behaves as a political body motivated only by national interest of big powers where interests come first and merit later. The romanticism related to the UN exists no more. It needs reforms and tough negotiation from various emerging economies. I would end by quoting an excerpt from Sardar Patel's observation on Kashmir. “We have seen what price we have paid by going to that Organisation. We went to UN to bring the dispute to an early end and we were maligned all over the world by the representatives of Pakistan. And people who had never seen this country and who did not understand what the problem of India and Pakistan or Kashmir was, - they began to hear the case from people who had no bone in in their tongue. They, therefore, went on talking anything that came into their mouth and for six months, it went on like that. They visited Kashmir, they visited Pakistan, they visited India, and had long and prolonged conversations and discussions. The other party did not. Eventually, they make proposals for cease-fire. The other party did not. Yet we are where we were. If we were to fight this out by armed forces and if United Nations Organisation is not able to do anything then instead of calling it a Security Council, it must be termed the “Insecurity Council” which disturbs the security of law.” (Disclaimer: The author writes here in a personal capacity).

Opinion: Why Sardar Patel mistrusted the UN Security Council

Portugal&#39;s former prime minister Antonio Guterres is still the frontrunner to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations following a third straw poll held Monday, diplomats said. 
 
Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief for 10 years, received 11 votes of encouragement, three &quot;discourage&quot; votes and one &quot;no opinion&quot; during the informal vote by the 15-member Security Council. 
 
It is the third time that the 67-year-old has taken the number one spot in the contest to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down on December 31 after 10 years as the world`s top diplomat. 
 
During the first round, Guterres took the lead with 12 &quot;encourage&quot; votes and three &quot;no opinion,&quot; but he picked up two &quot;discourage&quot; votes in the second straw poll, along with 11 encouragements and two &quot;no opinion.&quot; 
 
While Guterres&#39;s ranking dropped slightly in the third straw poll, diplomats said he still held a strong lead in the race to take the helm of the world body. 
 
&quot;He remains well ahead of the pack,&quot; a Security Council diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. 
 
Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak made a surprise showing as the runner-up, climbing up the rankings with nine encouragements, five discourage votes and one &quot;no opinion.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
He took the sixth position in the last round. 
 
The 15 ambassadors including those from the powerful five -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- met behind closed doors to rate the candidates with ballots marked &quot;encourage,&quot; &quot;discourage&quot; or &quot;no opinion.&quot; 
 
The Security Council is trying to come up with a shortlist of candidates before putting forward a nominee, possibly in October, to be endorsed by the General Assembly. UNESCO chief Irina Bokova of Bulgaria and Serbia`s ex-foreign minister Vuk Jeremic tied for the third spot, with seven encouragements and five &quot;discourage&quot; votes, plus three &quot;no opinion.&quot; 
 
Bokova became the leading woman in the race, just ahead of Argentina`s Susanna Malcorra, who picked up seven encouragements, seven &quot;discourage votes and one &quot;no opinion.&quot; 
Lower down the rankings, New Zealand`s ex-prime minister and current UN Development Program chief Helen Clark took the number six spot, just below Macedonia`s ex-foreign minister Srgjan Kerim. 
 
Clark picked up six encouragements, eight &quot;discourage&quot; votes and one &quot;no opinion,&quot; compared to six encouragements, seven &quot;discourage&quot; votes and two &quot;no opinion&quot; for Kerim. 
Slovenia`s former president Danilo Turk, who had made a strong showing as the runnerup in the first round, dropped to the bottom tier, with five encouragements, six &quot;discourage&quot; votes and four &quot;no opinion&quot;. 
 
The last spots went to former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres and ex-foreign minister Natalia Gherman of Moldova, who both picked up two encouragements, 12 &quot;discourage&quot; votes and one no opinion. 
 
The results of the straw poll were not publicly announced, but the council president communicated them to the candidates to give them an indication of the level of support in the council. 
 
As with the two first straw polls, the results were quickly leaked to the media. 
 
Council members are facing calls to pick the first woman after eight men in the job, and to give preference to a candidate from eastern Europe, the only region that has yet to be represented in the post. 
 
Russia has said it will give priority to eastern European candidates&nbsp;but has not ruled out that contenders from other regions could be qualified for the post. 
 
Of the 10 candidates now still in the running, six are from eastern Europe. Five are women. 
Only two have dropped out of the race thus far, but others are expected to withdraw after this latest straw poll. 
 
(AFP)

He has received 11 ''encouragement'' votes, three "discourage" and one "no opinion" in the informal vote by the 15-member Security Council

Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres is still the frontrunner to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations following a third straw poll held Monday, diplomats said. Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief for 10 years, received 11 votes of encouragement, three "discourage" votes and one "no opinion" during the informal vote by the 15-member Security Council. It is the third time that the 67-year-old has taken the number one spot in the contest to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down on December 31 after 10 years as the world`s top diplomat. During the first round, Guterres took the lead with 12 "encourage" votes and three "no opinion," but he picked up two "discourage" votes in the second straw poll, along with 11 encouragements and two "no opinion." While Guterres's ranking dropped slightly in the third straw poll, diplomats said he still held a strong lead in the race to take the helm of the world body. "He remains well ahead of the pack," a Security Council diplomat said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak made a surprise showing as the runner-up, climbing up the rankings with nine encouragements, five discourage votes and one "no opinion." He took the sixth position in the last round. The 15 ambassadors including those from the powerful five -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- met behind closed doors to rate the candidates with ballots marked "encourage," "discourage" or "no opinion." The Security Council is trying to come up with a shortlist of candidates before putting forward a nominee, possibly in October, to be endorsed by the General Assembly. UNESCO chief Irina Bokova of Bulgaria and Serbia`s ex-foreign minister Vuk Jeremic tied for the third spot, with seven encouragements and five "discourage" votes, plus three "no opinion." Bokova became the leading woman in the race, just ahead of Argentina`s Susanna Malcorra, who picked up seven encouragements, seven "discourage votes and one "no opinion." Lower down the rankings, New Zealand`s ex-prime minister and current UN Development Program chief Helen Clark took the number six spot, just below Macedonia`s ex-foreign minister Srgjan Kerim. Clark picked up six encouragements, eight "discourage" votes and one "no opinion," compared to six encouragements, seven "discourage" votes and two "no opinion" for Kerim. Slovenia`s former president Danilo Turk, who had made a strong showing as the runnerup in the first round, dropped to the bottom tier, with five encouragements, six "discourage" votes and four "no opinion". The last spots went to former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres and ex-foreign minister Natalia Gherman of Moldova, who both picked up two encouragements, 12 "discourage" votes and one no opinion. The results of the straw poll were not publicly announced, but the council president communicated them to the candidates to give them an indication of the level of support in the council. As with the two first straw polls, the results were quickly leaked to the media. Council members are facing calls to pick the first woman after eight men in the job, and to give preference to a candidate from eastern Europe, the only region that has yet to be represented in the post. Russia has said it will give priority to eastern European candidates but has not ruled out that contenders from other regions could be qualified for the post. Of the 10 candidates now still in the running, six are from eastern Europe. Five are women. Only two have dropped out of the race thus far, but others are expected to withdraw after this latest straw poll. (AFP)

Portugal's Guterres still leads race to be UN chief

The United States warned on Monday it would raise concerns at the United Nations over the latest North Korean missile tests carried out in violation of Security Council resolutions. 
 
&quot;We strongly condemn this and North Korea&#39;s other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea`s launches using ballistic missile technology,&quot; said Commander Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, after Pyongyang test-fired three ballistic missiles. 
 
&quot;We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding the DPRK accountable for these provocative actions.&quot; 
 
(AFP)

North Korea missile launch came a week after issuing threats to respond to the planned deployment of a US anti-missile system in the South

The United States warned on Monday it would raise concerns at the United Nations over the latest North Korean missile tests carried out in violation of Security Council resolutions. "We strongly condemn this and North Korea's other recent missile tests, which violate UN Security Council Resolutions explicitly prohibiting North Korea`s launches using ballistic missile technology," said Commander Gary Ross, a Pentagon spokesman, after Pyongyang test-fired three ballistic missiles. "We intend to raise our concerns at the UN to bolster international resolve in holding the DPRK accountable for these provocative actions." (AFP)

US to raise concerns at UN over North Korea missile tests

The UN General Assembly on Thursday elected Italy to the Security Council under a deal that will see the Netherlands take over the seat in a year. 
 
The two countries agreed to split the two-year term on the council after five rounds of voting earlier this week ended with a tie. 
 
Under the deal, Italy will take up the seat on January 1 and then make way for the Netherlands to take over in 2018. 
 
The arrangement is rare but not unprecedented at the United Nations. 
 
The last split term was in 1964-65 between what was then Czechoslovakia and Malaysia. 
 
Italy was elected with 179 votes in the General Assembly, which has 193 member states. 
 
During elections on Tuesday, Kazkahstan was elected to the council for the first time along with Bolivia, Ethiopia and Sweden. 
 
The newly-elected countries will take their place alongside the five permanent council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. 
 
The other five non-permanent members are: Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay. 
 
(AFP)

The two countries agreed to split the two-year term after five rounds of voting ended with a tie

The UN General Assembly on Thursday elected Italy to the Security Council under a deal that will see the Netherlands take over the seat in a year. The two countries agreed to split the two-year term on the council after five rounds of voting earlier this week ended with a tie. Under the deal, Italy will take up the seat on January 1 and then make way for the Netherlands to take over in 2018. The arrangement is rare but not unprecedented at the United Nations. The last split term was in 1964-65 between what was then Czechoslovakia and Malaysia. Italy was elected with 179 votes in the General Assembly, which has 193 member states. During elections on Tuesday, Kazkahstan was elected to the council for the first time along with Bolivia, Ethiopia and Sweden. The newly-elected countries will take their place alongside the five permanent council members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The other five non-permanent members are: Egypt, Japan, Senegal, Ukraine and Uruguay. (AFP)

UN elects Italy, Netherlands to share Security Council seat