Saudi Arabia has refused to become a member of the UN Security Council saying the world body needs to reform and end double standard, “Kingdom will not be part of ‘ineffective Security Council with double standard” (Arab News, Oct. 19).

A Foreign Ministry statement said, “The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that the manner, the mechanisms of action and a double standard existing in the Security Council prevent it from performing its duties and assuming its responsibilities toward preserving international peace and security as and when required.”

The Kingdom has previously expressed frustration over the UN’s failure to rein in Syrian President Bashar Assad and prevent him from killing his own people. The use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime was another incident that would have warranted serious UN action, but unfortunately nothing happened. 

The UN, as the Kingdom rightly said, has become ineffective and takes action on the whims of only a few. It is an international body but, in essence, it is controlled by a few countries who manipulate its decisions to serve their interests.

What the Kingdom has done is very bold and commendable. By turning down the offer to become a member of the UN it has conveyed to the world that the world body needs to focus on issues that are genuine and affect a large part of the international community, who seldom has any say in the global affairs. Hats off to the very bold Saudi stand. If more countries demonstrate such audacity the world body can become more meaningful and effective. Palestinian issue, massacre in Syria, Kashmir are some of the cases that deserve world attention but because of the weak and ineffective world body these conflicts have dragged on. Only the issues that affect the permanent members who have veto powers are taken care of. These permanent members, in a way, control the world body and whenever a resolution is passed that clashes with their interests, they use their veto to bulldoze it thus suspending any action. — Imtiaz Ahmed, Jeddah