As
If Scripted,
Plea to Saudi
to Maintain
UNSC Seat from
Arab Group,
Minus Syria
By
Matthew
Russell Lee
UNITED
NATIONS,
October 19 --
The day after
Saudi Arabia
announced it
would
not take the
UN Security
Council seat
it won without
competition on
October 17 (click
here for
Inner City
Press
coverage), on
Saturday
the Arab Group
at the UN
issued a
statement
calling on the
Saudis to
"maintain
their
Membership in
the Security
Council." The
unofficial
translation
into English
is below.
While
not noted by,
for example, Agence
France Presse,
this statement
was
only unanimous
and the
"silence
procedure" for
objection
not broken
because the
Arab Group at
the UN has
thrown out the
Syrian
Arab Republic.
That
is, to make
decisions
unanimous,
throw out
those who
disagree.
This
takes on the
flavor of a
choreographed
tantrum by the
Saudis, to get
the attention
of the United
States, drive
the US away
from Iran's
Hassan Rouhani
or toward
renewed
military
threats on
Syria. And
then
reverse course
and "accept"
the Security
Council seat?
Notably,
Saudi
Arabia has
been "in
training" for
the Security
Council seat
for some time,
"going to Columbia
University for
help,"
as one
observer put
it. They began
to fund a
procedural
Security
Council
reporter. This
contributed to
the surprise
occasioned by
their October
18
announcement.
But
this fast and
public Arab
Group request
that they
"maintain"
their seat
cast things in
a different
light. This
way, even in
reversing
course Saudi
Arabia could
save face,
saying they
only took
the seat
because their
fellow Arab
countries --
minus at least
one of
course --
begged them
to. "We're
doing this for
you," the
Saudis could
say.
But
what would the
"this" be?
Urging the
same rebels it
arms
and tells not
to negotiate
with Assad to
go to Geneva
Two? Removing
or loosening
sanctions on
Iran?
For more on
that, click
here for this
reporter's
longer piece
on Beacon
Reader, a new
feature. Watch
this site.
Here
is the Arab
Group (minus
Syria) press
release of
October 19,
2013:
"The
Arab Group, at
level of
Ambassadors,
Permanent
Representatives
to the
United Nations
in New York,
discussed in
an
extraordinary
fashion,
the situation
regarding the
position of
the Brothers
in the Kingdom
of Saudi
Arabia
regarding
their
Membership in
the Security
Council.
With our
understanding
and respect
for the
position of
the Brothers
in the Kingdom
of Saudi
Arabia, we
hope that
they, which
are amongst
the blessed
who represent
the Arab and
Islamic world
at this
important and
historical
stage,
specifically
for the Middle
East
region, to
maintain their
Membership in
the Security
Council and
continue their
brave role in
defending our
issues
specifically
at the
rostrum of the
Security
Council."
, 
