Indonesia still Aiming for UNSC Seat

Saturday, 8 January 2011

The Jakarta Post

Indonesia is still confident it has a chance at a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says.

Marty said Friday Indonesia would not be losing any momentum in its goal to become a UNSC member, permanent or not, because Indonesia had shown its ability to carry out the UNSC mandate in the past.

“We have never foreclosed the possibility [of becoming a permanent UNSC member],” he told The Jakarta Post.

“How can we? It’s because we’re not an insignificant country in terms not only of our geography, but most importantly because of our record of contributions.”

Indonesia was a non-permanent member of the UNSC in 1973-1974, 1995-1996 and 2007-2008.

The UNSC has launched a new work year with a fresh mix of non-permanent nations, including India and South Africa, whose diversity better reflects the modern world, but which could complicate efforts to reach consensus, the Associated Press reported Thursday.

The UN’s most powerful body has been criticized for sometimes failing to properly represent the
world, especially poorer, non-Western nations.

The new assemblage will offer a glimpse at how a more diverse panel might work together if efforts prevail to expand the number of permanent council seats. It will also test the ability of new members to put international concerns over their own national and regional interests, the AP reported.

The new council met for the first time Wednesday, representing a world in which formerly colonized countries have become economic and political powerhouses. Besides India and South Africa, Brazil and oil-rich Nigeria are already members.

Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is on the council this time around, adding heft to an already muscular mix. Portugal and Colombia are also new council members.

“With the membership of India, Brazil and South Africa in the UNSC at the same time, I believe this shows that there really has been reform in the UNSC to make the body more representative,” Marty said.

The first order of business was a political stalemate in the west African nation of Cote d’Ivoire, where the incumbent president is refusing to step aside for the man the world says beat him in recent elections. The council will also discuss elections in Sudan that are expected to divide Africa’s largest country into two.

“These countries want to be part of the inner sanctum, to be at the table, but they also tend to be in a postcolonial, anti-interventionist mind set that can worry the United States and other Western nations,” Council on Foreign Relations UN specialist Stewart Patrick said, as quoted by the AP.

Veteran Indonesian diplomat and legal expert Hasjim Djalal and University of Indonesia security expert Andi Widjajanto agreed with Marty, saying Indonesia would not be losing any momentum.

“One reason is Indonesia just recently served as a non-permanent UNSC member,” Andi said.

“Also, issues to be discussed in the future likely surround conflicts in failing African countries, such as the Cote d’Ivoire and Sudan with its planned referendum.

“Indonesia still can follow these issues at UN general meetings,” he added.