Will Venezuela Gain a Seat on the UN Security Council?
by Aaron Goldstein | View comments |
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The presence of Venezuela on the UN Security Council would be troubling given its support for the nuclear ambitions of both Iran and North Korea.
If the United States wants to utilize the UN Security Council as a means to sanction the behavior of Iran and North Korea concerning nuclear proliferation it will need to do so now.
The reason the United States would need to take immediate action is that its hemispheric rival, Venezuela, has declared its intention to seek a seat on the UN Security Council this October when Argentina’s two-year term expires. This seat on the Security Council is also being sought by Guatemala, which has the backing of the United States. Last month, the BBC obtained a U.S. diplomatic note on the matter. In a memo titled “Defeating Venezuela in the 2006 Non-Permanent Seat on the Security Council,” it asserted:
Unfortunately, Venezuela has shown that is more concerned with disrupting international events than in working constructively to achieve common goals . . . We are deeply concerned that Venezuela would seek to disrupt the work of the Security Council and use the Council for ideological grandstanding rather than concrete problem-solving.
Venezuela’s bid received a boost earlier this week when CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) refused to support Guatemala. The reason for this is because Guatemala claims Belize as its province (something it has claimed for centuries). Belize gained its independence from Britain in 1981 and is a member in good standing with CARICOM. Denzil Douglas, the Prime Minister of St. Kitts & Nevis, and also CARICOM Chairman, told the Miami Herald, “The very strong view within CARICOM is that the claim Guatemala continues to make on Belize is unacceptable.” It should be noted that while Venezuela is not a member of CARICOM, it does have observer status within the organization.
In addition to CARICOM, Venezuela also has the support of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil and Uruguay. Guatemala is supported by Costa Rica, Honduras, El Salvador, Colombia, Nicaragua and Mexico. However, Mexico’s support might not be so certain given its recently disputed presidential election. Although Andrés Manuel Lopez Obrador appears not to have prevailed, there is still the potential of a recount. Obrador is a strong supporter of Venezuelan dictator Hugo Chavez and would certainly support Venezuela’s ascension to the Security Council.
The presence of Venezuela on the UN Security Council would be troubling given its support for the nuclear ambitions of both Iran and North Korea.
On July 5th (which is Venezuela’s independence day), Venezuela’s Communication and Information Minister William Lara was asked by a reporter what he thought of North Korea’s decision to test its missiles. Lara replied, “I do not share the view that only a group of privileged countries has the right to develop missile technology, while the rest of humanity is banned.” Milos Alcalay, who served as Venezuela’s Ambassador to the UN from 2001 until resigning in protest against the actions of the Chavez regime in 2004, said, " . . . thank God that Lara is not representing Venezuela on the UN Security Council . . . I would like to know how the Media Minister would feel if missiles were launched against Venezuela from Caribbean coasts." The Ministry of Communication and Information later issued a statement indicating Venezuela has not arrived at a position concerning North Korea’s missile testing.
Or has it?
The day after Lara’s remarks, Venezuelan Vice-President Jose Vicente Rangel went even further. "I understand that these rockets are not nuclear warheads . . . So why is it bad when Korea [conducts such tests] but not when the United States or another Western country does?" asked Rangel. The Vice President went on to say that North Korea was "exercising the right that any country has to conduct tests."
Caracas and Pyongyang are certainly quite chummy these days. In September 2005, Venezuela’s Deputy Foreign Minister William Izarra received a visit from Yang Hyong Sop, the Vice President of the North Korean Parliament. Hyong Sop commented, "Opening embassies in our countries will create the possibility of further strengthening our relations." Venezuela and North Korea are currently planning on opening embassies in their respective countries and there are also plans to cooperate on energy resources.
Would Venezuela trade oil for a nuclear weapon from North Korea?
In June, Chavez announced his intention to visit North Korea to meet with Kim Jong-Il. No date has been set for this visit. Somehow I doubt Chavez and Jong-Il would be discussing Broadway show tunes.
Equally disconcerting has been Chavez’s support for Iran’s nuclear ambitions. On three separate occasions (September 2005, February 2006 & March 2006), Venezuela voted at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) against referring Iran to the UN Security Council for its nuclear proliferation activities.
In December 2005, between votes at the IAEA, Venezuela and Iran signed a commercial agreement to explore heavy oil deposits in Venezuela’s Orinoco River basin. In addition to oil exploration, Venezuela and Iran have established joint ventures to manufacture tractors, busses and cement.
The increased commercial traffic between Venezuela and Iran was noted in an article that appeared last month in the Los Angeles Times. U.S. officials openly wonder if there’s more than tractors and cement beneath the surface. There are concerns that if Iran is present in Venezuela, Hezbollah cannot be far behind. Hezbollah is believed to be responsible for the bombing of a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires in 1994. One U.S. official stated, "It would be an unfortunate thing if the Iran-Venezuelan alliance were to create a base of operations closer to the shores of the United States. Iranian embassies and Hezbollah seem to go together."
For his part, Chavez has repeatedly supported Iran’s right to develop nuclear technology. In March 2005, Chavez hosted then Iranian President Muhammad Khatami. Chavez stated, "Iran has every right, like many other countries have done, to develop its atomic energy and continue its research in this field." The mercurial Bolivarian expressed solidarity with Iran. "Iran and Venezuela, these two brothers, are and will be together forever. Iran, confronted by the United States, has our solidarity. Like you, we are willing to be free of imperialism," said Chavez.
Khatami’s successor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, phoned Chavez when Venezuela voted at the IAEA against referring Iran to the UN Security Council last September. Ahmadinejad praised Venezuela’s vote at the IAEA as “brave and judicious.” Earlier this month, Chavez and Ahmadinejad both appeared at the African Union summit in Gambia. Chavez again expressed support for Iran’s development of nuclear technology. “Doesn’t Iran have the right to develop nuclear technology for peaceful means?”, Chavez asked. Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh praised Chavez and Ahmadinejad’s visit as “a morale booster as well as an assurance that Africa can make it.” It might also boost African votes for Venezuela’s bid for a seat on the Security Council. It also appears that Chavez will visit Ahmadinejad in Tehran next month, further cementing their relationship.
So what would happen if Venezuela were to gain a seat on the UN Security Council?
Well, Venezuela would not have the power to veto any resolutions as it would be a non-permanent member of the Council. However, its presence on the Security Council would weaken the body, especially if it were to try to sanction either Iran or North Korea for its nuclear proliferation activity. It would have the effect of making the UN not united in confronting breaches of international law and further undermine any semblance of credibility it might have left.
As the Security Council has a rotating chairmanship, Venezuela would have the opportunity for one month to be Chair of the Security Council and therefore be able to set the rules and control the agenda. Its agenda would likely be directed against the United States and Israel, not Iran and North Korea. They would make a mockery of the both the institution and its proceedings.
What is most disturbing of all would not be Venezuela’s presence on the Security Council. Rather, what is most disturbing is that two-thirds of the UN General Assembly would be prepared to cast their vote with Venezuela and put it in a position of such incredible responsibility. How could the world stand against Iran and North Korea if it is prepared to elect an ally of Iran and North Korea to the Security Council? In many ways, it would say a great deal more about the moral state of the world that it would about Venezuela. It would also be one more reason to view not only the UN Security Council, but the UN as a whole as a paper tiger. Last December, Ahmadinejad said of the much venerated body, “We are not afraid of your bogus stick known as the Security Council.” A UN Security Council with Venezuela sitting on it would truly turn it into a bogus stick.
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Having Venezuela on the Security Council is as bad as having Saudi Arabia and Cuba on the UN Human Rights Board.
Major reform is needed, pronto.
Comment by alex | July 11, 2006
When Hugo Chavez began to really open his mouth a couple of years ago, I did some research on him. On a global level, he's declared brotherhood with Saddam Hussein, expressed sympathy for The Taliban, and everything else that Mr. Goldstein mentioned in his above article. I was quite interested in his dealings in, literally, his own backyard.
Mr. Chavez is continually accused of being associated with and supporting the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or FARC. FARC has been designated a terrorist organization by the U.S. Department of State. With 16,000 members strong, they are the largest terrorist organization in the world. For over 40 years, they've used cocaine money to fight against the democratic Colombian government.
Their mission is to retake Colombia by force. They recruit children, bomb buildings, extort money, kidnap and execute civilians, assassinate political leaders, and are responsible for the deaths of tens of thousands of people. They have turned Colombia into one of the most dangerous countries in the world.
So, what does this have to do with Chavez? FARC leaders are welcomed and harbored in Venezuela and treated as statesmen. The Colombian government has confiscated Venezuelan military weapons from FARC terrorists. Of course, Chavez denies all accusations, and and those are just a couple of examples. The accusations are just too many.
Let's hope the country lead by the man who's agenda seems to be solely anti-U.S. does not gain a seat on the Security Council.
Brian Breslin
Comment by Brian Breslin | July 17, 2006