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WORLD NEWS Saturday 23 april 2022
War in Ukraine spurs bid to take a closer look at U.N. vetoes

By JENNIFER PELTZ effort” not to let vetoes hin-
Associated Press der prompt decision-mak-
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Two ing.
days into Russia’s attack on By now, more than 200 dif-
Ukraine, a majority of U.N. ferent Security Council pro-
Security Council members posals have been vetoed,
voted to demand that some by multiple coun-
Moscow withdraw. One tries, according to U.N. re-
thing stood in their way: a cords. The subjects were as
veto by Russia itself. sweeping as reporting on
It was the latest in decades weapons stockpiles and as
of vetoes on issues ranging specific as the governance
from the Korean War to the of a part of the Indian
Israeli-Palestinian conflict Ocean nation Comoros.
to climate change that The Soviet Union/Russia has
at least temporarily sty- cast the most vetoes by
mied the council that was far, followed by the Unit-
designed to be the U.N.’s ed States. Fewer still have
most potent component. been cast by Britain, China
A round of venting fol- and France.
lowed over the veto power Countless other ideas were
afforded to just five of its 15 never brought to a vote
members: China, the Unit- U.N. Security Council members, left to right: Britain’s UN Ambassador Barbara Woodward, U.S. because of an expected
ed States, Russia, France, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, and Albania’s UN Ambassador Ferit Hoxha, applaud in veto.
and Britain. the United Nations Security Council, Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. All that has engendered
Each has used that power Associated Press laments that the council’s
over the years. “This is really an important vetoes, but they would trig- rity because they affect all sometime paralysis under-
Proposals to change the initiative,” said Thomas ger public debates in the of us,” said Liechtenstein’s mines its legitimacy and
council’s structure or rein in Weiss, a City University of General Assembly. Which- U.N. ambassador, Christian public faith in the U.N. And
vetoes have sputtered for New York Graduate Center ever country or countries Wenaweser. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
more than half a century. political science professor had cast a veto would be While the General Assembly has only brought those
But now, a new approach and Chicago Council on invited to say why. got a broad membership grievances more into focus.

simply subjecting vetoed Global Affairs distinguished The assembly wouldn’t and agenda, the council “We are dealing with a
matters to scrutiny by the fellow who specializes in have to take or even con- got more power. Its resolu- state that is turning the veto
full U.N. membership ap- U.N. politics. To him, the pro- sider any action. Regard- tions are legally binding, if in the United Nations Secu-
pears to be gaining trac- posal promotes transpar- less, the discussion could sometimes ignored none- rity Council into the right to
tion. ency and challenges the put veto-wielders on the theless, and can entail mili- die,” Ukrainian President
Spearheaded by Liech- idea that a few powerful spot and let a raft of other tary action (i.e., assembling Volodymyr Zelenskyy told
tenstein, the measure has countries can tank Security countries be heard. peacekeeping forces with the council via video April
more than 55 co-spon- Council initiatives without It aims “to promote the troops contributed by vari- 5. Saying the group “simply
sors, including the U.S. The so much as an explanation. voice of all of us who are ous countries.) cannot work effectively,”
193-member General As- “It does, in important ways, not veto-holders, and who Vetoes arose quickly. So he called on members to
sembly is due to consider suggest that the veto is not are not on the Security did frustration. By the end remove Russia, reform or
the proposed resolution sacrosanct,” he said. Council, on matters of inter- of 1946, the assembly asked “dissolve yourself and work
Tuesday. The proposal wouldn’t limit national peace and secu- the council “to make every for peace.” q

France issues arrest warrant for disgraced auto tycoon Ghosn

PARIS (AP) — French pros- Suhail Bahwan Automo- The Nanterre prosecutors’
ecutors have issued an in- biles (SBA), a vehicle dis- office described this as the
ternational arrest warrant tributor company in Oman. next step in the ongoing
for disgraced auto tycoon The former head of the Nis- investigation, one of two
Carlos Ghosn, who fled Ja- san-Renault alliance fled to separate cases involving
pan in 2019 for Lebanon in Lebanon in 2019, while out Ghosn in France.
a gripping escape. on bail facing financial mis- In an interview last year
The prosecutor’s office in conduct charges in Japan. with The Associated Press,
the Paris suburb of Nanterre He denies wrongdoing. Ghosn was confident, en-
said Friday that it issued the Ghosn said he learned ergized and determined to
warrant for the former head about the new warrant fight to restore his reputa-
of Nissan and Renault and Friday via the media, and tion.
four other people based on noted that he’s barred from A statement sent Friday to
an investigation opened in leaving Lebanon anyway. the AP from his PR team
2019 into money launder- “I’m ready to defend my- called the French warrant
ing and abuse of company self,” he told France’s BFM “surprising,” and suggested
assets. television. that it was ineffective as Former Nissan executive Carlos Ghosn speaks during an
Prosecutors are investigat- He repeatedly insisted that Ghosn “is subject to a judi- interview with The Associated Press, in Dbayeh, north of Beirut,
ing millions of dollars in al- he did not receive any cial ban on leaving Leba- Lebanon, Tuesday, May 25, 2021.
leged suspect payments money from the Oman dis- nese territory.” Associated Press
made between the Re- tributor and that there was Lebanon does not extra- Ghosn has citizenship in Brazil.q
nault-Nissan alliance and “no embezzling.” dite its citizens. Lebanon, France and