International security

The Day the United Nations Ceased to Exist

Tensions in Syria continued to escalate throughout 2019. Hostilities were stepped up again throughout the country and the conflict’s total toll approached a million. A new wave of Syrian refugees swept through Turkey and flooded Europe. Russia blocked US and British resolutions on enforcing peace on Damascus in the UN Security Council nine times.

Eventually, the Western countries accused Moscow of deliberately subverting the Security Council work. Quoting UN General Assembly Resolution 377 (V) in her speech at a regular session of the UN General Assembly in the fall, British Prime Minister Theresa May categorically demanded that the Security Council be declared unable to fulfil its duties due to differences between its permanent members and that the “humanitarian disaster” in Syria be submitted for consideration by the General Assembly.

This initiative had an unexpected continuation. In January 2020 France and Mexico suggested that the permanent members of the Security Council “voluntarily” restrict the use of the veto on issues related to crimes against humanity and genocide. French President Emanuel Macron announced that Paris was ready to be an example of a great power with a “responsible attitude” towards its international commitments.

The Big Three – Russia, the US and China – resolutely rejected the ultimatum but this proposal quickly won the support of the vast majority of UN members. In response to the categorical rejection of any restrictions of their rights by the Big Three, the majority urged, in accordance with Article 109 of the Charter, the convocation of the UN General Conference with a view to revising the Charter and cancelling the right of veto of the Security Council permanent members.