Permanent Membership on UNSC for India
Current Research for the MLA LD Debate Topic…

TOPIC: UNSC Reform & India

Resolved: The United Nations should grant India permanent membership on the Security Council.
IMPORTANT: This topic will be our competition topic for the IVC Spring Championship.

BACKGROUND:

Commentary (Coach Bill): We are really debating two things; UNSC reform and India\’s qualifications and suitability to assume the role of a permanent member. Ultimately, we will debate this in the standard cost-benefit-analysis manner; based on the evidence available, which is more desirable; a world with India as a permanent member of the UNSC or the way things are currently?

Reformed Security Council Must Reflect Changing Global Reality,
United Nations General Assembly, November 7, 2016
https://www.un.org/press/en/2016/ga11854.doc.htm
After two decades of stalled action on Security Council reform, it was high time to move the process forward, the General Assembly heard today, with many speakers calling for an updated Council that would better reflect the sweeping global changes that had occurred since the founding of the United Nations in 1946. Despite those clarion calls, however, Member States remained divided over their respective visions for the Council, currently comprising five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, and the United States — and 10 elected members. There were differences of opinion on five core reform issues: membership categories, the question of the veto held by the five permanent members, regional representation, the size of an enlarged Council, & Council working methods.

Why is India demanding a permanent membership on the Security Council? How will it benefit India?,
Pragyandeep Mohanty, Quora, May 3, 2018
https://www.quora.com/Why-is-India-demanding-a-permanent-membership-in-Security-Council-How-is-it-going-to-benefit-us-as-a-nation
In 1955, with the Cold War at its peak, it is believed that America offered Jawaharlal Nehru, the Prime Minister of India at that time, the possibility of India getting a seat in the UN Security Council. The UN Security Council began with four members: USA, Russia, France and Great Britain. These countries were the allied forces that had won World War II. India too had a rightful place in the council, since it was providing treasure and more than two million men in the war front. Certainly, more than China had done. Russia was keen on another communist country coming on board as a member and it is believed that it would have vetoed India’s membership and would have wanted China. President Eisenhower was deadset against China and thought it prudent that India could fit into the permanent Asian seat in the UNSC, and the offer was made.

POTENTIAL ARGUMENTS TO CONSIDER (& MLA EVIDENCE/ARGUMENTS):

PRO: Effectiveness (Capable & Deserving), Funding Vital Missions (Financial Crisis & Additional Contributions from Permanent Members), Preventing Conflict (Credibility Crisis & India = Highly Respected).
NEG: Effectiveness (Crisis of Legitimacy & Abuse of Veto), Harming Human Rights (Unimpressive Voting Record & Abuse During Peacekeeping), Increasing Risk of War (Using Violence in Kashmir & Reduced Accountability Via Veto Power).
[-] PF Evidence Packet (Final) – UNSC Permanent Membership for India (MLA, 2019-05-03).pdf (or DOC)
[-] PF Arguments Packet (Final) – UNSC Permanent Membership for India (MLA, 2019-05-03).pdf (or DOC)

HELPFUL LANGUAGE FOR FRAMEWORK
First Speakers (Framework):
Our key terms each come from the Oxford English dictionary… Grant means to allow, permanent membership means an indefinite term of membership, in this case on the UN security council. Our value is quality of life and our criteria is on-balance. So… the side that upholds the most quality of life for the most people should win this debate.
Second Speakers (Framework):
The framework we offered in our first speech is consistent with experts, is fair-minded to both sides and provides a clear & objective standard. So… Unless our framework is proven to be “unreasonable” you must prefer our interpretation over theirs.

WHITEBOARD PHOTOS (& RESEARCH PACKETS):

REQUIRED RESEARCH VIDEOS:

[Newly Added] The Big Picture – UNSC Reforms: Can India find a place in the Council?,
Rajya Sabha TV, September 16, 2015 [30 min]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07jhqKo_nBU
NOTE: Guests: Meera Shankar, former Indian Ambassador to the United States of America; Commodore (Retd.) Uday Bhakar, Director, Society for Policy Studies; BS Prakash, former Ambassador; Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra, Chairman, Centre for Canadian, US and Latin American Studies, JNU; K P Nayar, Consulting Editor, The Telegraph. Anchor: Girish Nikam

The U.N. Security Council Needs Reform,
Big Think, April 23, 2012 – 1 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiLvYyM8MMc
NOTE: Mary Robinson is the former president of Ireland.

India to Become Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council,
Strategic Frontier, April 10, 2017 – 2 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3bxozBKQE4

India demands transparency in UN Security Council reform,
Defense Diary, November 8, 2017 – 3 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hap2JNKtp7M

REQUIRED RESEARCH ARTICLES:

Vetoed! What\’s wrong with the UN security council – and how it could do better,
The Guardian, September 23, 2015
https://www.theguardian.com/world/ng-interactive/2015/sep/23/un-security-council-failing-70-years
NOTE: The security council is the UN\’s most powerful body, the only one with the authority to issue legally binding resolutions that can be backed up by sanctions, blue-helmeted peacekeepers or by force of arms.

U.N. Security Council Must Be Revamped or Risk Irrelevance, Kofi Annan warns,
The Guardian, September 23, 2015
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/un-security-council-must-be-revamped-or-risk-irrelevance-kofi-annan-warns
NOTE: Please watch the video as well. Former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan is an extremely well-qualified source.

United Nations: Thinking the UN-thinkable,
The Economist, November 11, 2010 [PDF]
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2010/11/11/thinking-the-unthinkable

Can India become a great power?,
The Economist, March 30, 2013 [PDF]
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2013/03/30/can-india-become-a-great-power

[PRO] China Should Back India for a Permanent UN Security Council Seat,
The Diplomat, February 13, 2015
https://thediplomat.com/2015/02/china-should-back-india-for-a-permanent-un-security-council-seat/

[CON] India\’s Infatuation With the U.N. Security Council,
The Diplomat, April 27, 2015
https://thediplomat.com/2015/04/indias-infatuation-with-the-un-security-council/

ADDITIONAL \”OPTIONAL\” RESEARCH ARTICLES & VIDEOS:

[VIDEO] March 2019 Public Forum Topic Analysis,
Will Watson, Champion Briefs, February 28, 2019 – 18 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhg9diTo9TU&feature=youtu.be

[VIDEO] Does the United Nations Security Council need reform?,
Debate Mate (UK), March 19, 2018 – 4 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQKCZBq6KE0

[NEW] Millennial Speech & Debate: Evidence Dump (Similar to Champion Briefs!),
Millennial Speech & Debate, Last Accessed: March 31, 2019 [PDF]
https://millennialsd.com/blog/2019/03/20/india-security-council-daily-updates/

https://millennialsd.com/blog/2019/03/20/resolved-the-united-nations-should-grant-india-permanent-membership-on-the-security-council-bibliography/

India does not qualify for permanent UNSC membership,
The Express Tribune, January 29, 2015
https://tribune.com.pk/story/829542/india-does-not-qualify-for-permanent-unsc-membership-fo/

Narendra Modi and the struggle for India’s soul,
The Economist, March 2, 2019 [PDF]
https://www.economist.com/briefing/2019/03/02/narendra-modi-and-the-struggle-for-indias-soul

The United States Doesn’t Want to Reform the U.N. Security Council,
David Bosco, Foreign Policy Magazine, September 29, 2015 [PDF]
https://foreignpolicy.com/2015/09/29/the-united-states-doesnt-want-to-reform-the-u-n-security-council/

India and Pakistan Should Stop Playing With Fire,
The Economist, February 28, 2019 [PDF]
https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/02/28/india-and-pakistan-should-stop-playing-with-fire

Reforming the U.N.: Does the United Nations need to change to stay relevant?,
CQ Researcher, June 24, 2016 [PDF]
https://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2016062400

Don\’t Reform the Security Council,
Jonathan Cristol, World Policy, September 21, 2015
https://worldpolicy.org/2015/09/21/dont-reform-the-security-council/
NOTE: Jonathan Cristol is a fellow at the World Policy Institute and a senior fellow at the Center for Civic Engagement at Bard College.

Russia, China could veto India\’s ascent to UNSC, says Haley,
Aziz Haniffa, India Abroad (Magazine), October 18, 2017
https://www.indiaabroad.com/us_affairs/russia-china-could-veto-india-s-ascent-to-unsc-says/article_1764eebe-b42a-11e7-acab-e7503a7dd04b.html

G4 Nations,
Wikipedia, Last Updated: March 2, 2019
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G4_nations

India to Become Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council,
Strategic Frontier, April 10, 2017 – 2 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3bxozBKQE4

Pakistan writes to UN Security Council, alleges ‘India threatening regional security’,
Economic Times, February 22, 2019 – 3 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMDa9i-x33w

India demands transparency in UN Security Council reform,
Defense Diary, November 8, 2017 – 3 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hap2JNKtp7M

The UN Security Council Reform and the Dilemma of the UN Member States in a Nutshell: The hard-to-achieve Alternative,
Sesan Odunuga, University of Catania, Research Gate, April 2018 [PDF]
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324170410_The_UN_Security_Council_Reform_and_the_Dilemma_of_the_UN_Member_States_in_a_Nutshell_The_hard-to-achieve_Alternative
Abstract: The Security Council of the United Nations is criticized for failing to reflect membership reality of the United Nations and acknowledge rising powers in the global system owing to the postCold War configuration of the United Nations Security Council. The call for the reform of the United Nations Security Council is gaining momentum among members of the United Nations with different proposals emerging from different regional layouts and economic groupings. All the proposals advocate for additional seats (permanent and/or nonpermanent) in the Security Council. However, the reform proposals focus on two issues-membership and the right to veto in the Security Council. This article discusses United Nations Security Council reform proposals and the right to veto of the permanent members of the Security Council, revealing the unrealistic nature of the reform proposals. An alternative way of balancing the veto powers of the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council is attainable without having to create additional seats in Security Council.

The U.N. veto is a problem that won’t go away,
Washington Post, October 2, 2015
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/10/02/the-u-n-veto-is-a-problem-that-wont-go-away/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.65ec58f35cf7
A French-led proposal to curb the use of the veto in the United Nations Security Council won dozens of backers among the U.N.\’s member states, but not, it seems, from the ones who really count. So far, at least 78 countries have signed onto the proposal, which calls for veto-wielding members of the Security Council — the United States, France, Russia, Britain & China — to refrain from exercising the veto when reckoning with cases of mass atrocities and potential genocide. None of the other four permanent members have so far committed to making this pledge, though reports suggest British and American diplomats received the proposal positively.

Ban urges \’dialogue and diplomacy\’ by both India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions,
Ban-ki Moon, United Nations (Peacekeeping), September 30, 2016
https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/ban-urges-dialogue-and-diplomacy-both-india-and-pakistan-to-de-escalate-tensions
The UN has long maintained an institutional presence in the contested area between India and Pakistan. According to the Security Council mandate given in resolution 307 of 1971, the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the Line of Control and the working boundary between the South Asian neighbours in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as reports developments that could lead to ceasefire violations.

At the crossroads: India and the future of UN peacekeeping in Africa,
Dr. Anit Mukherjee, Brookings Institution, October 20, 2015
https://www.brookings.edu/research/at-the-crossroads-india-and-the-future-of-un-peacekeeping-in-africa/
India’s participation in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (UNPKO) is probably without parallel it has been one of the largest contributors of peacekeepers and has suffered the most casualties in the process. Indicative of the thrust of UN peacekeeping missions, 80 percent of India’s peacekeepers are presently serving in Africa and 70 percent of all casualties have been sustained there. Clearly, based on these statistics, UN missions serve as the bedrock of India’s military engagement and assistance to Africa. However, there is a growing debate on the efficacy of these missions and India’s benefits from its continued participation. In more ways than one, India and Africa are at crossroads on this issue. Both communities need to move beyond platitudes and engage in a serious, sustained dialogue on India’s role in the future security architecture in Africa.
Understandably, Indian diplomats and military officers play up their contribution to UN peacekeeping. India’s claim to permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) rests, among other factors, to its contribution to UNPKO. During the time that India held the non-permanent seat on the Council from 2011 to 2013, it identified peacekeeping as a key agenda putting forward ideas to enhance its effectiveness. The Indian military has also deeply internalized the ideal of operating under ‘Blue-Helmet’ taking considerable pride in the success of its missions. Shaped by years of experience many in the military find it difficult to envisage operating outside India’s borders without UN sanction.

UN Security Council Membership: The Admission of India and Other Necessary Reforms,
Michael Kelly, Global Policy Reform, November 24, 2010
https://www.globalpolicy.org/security-council/security-council-reform/49991-un-security-council-membership-the-admission-of-india-and-other-necessary-reforms.html
Over time, justifications for permanent membership seemed to fade as the political and economic influence of Britain and France waned while that of Germany, Japan, and India steadily rose. Military justifications also faded as the Soviet Union collapsed, the nuclear club expanded beyond the original five, and defense spending plummeted across Europe after the Cold War. Indeed, Britain is now set to decommission its last aircraft carrier, the Ark Royal.
If permanent seats on the Security Council are supposed to be filled by those states with the greatest capacity to ensure international peace and security (and the legitimacy of that body\’s resolutions are hinged to representativeness), adjustments have been in order for quite a while. The problem that has forestalled all discussion on this point is the veto. Each of the five permanent members has the ability kill any action the Security Council seeks to undertake by withholding its assent. During the Cold War, the threat of either an American or Soviet veto kept the Council in a deep freeze. Altering the Council in any way could trigger a veto from either France or Britain, which present the weakest cases for continuing permanent membership, to protect their seats.

Lack of Political Will among ‘Elite Few’ Threatens Security Council Reform Efforts,
United Nations General Assembly, November 7, 2017
https://www.un.org/press/en/2017/ga11969.doc.htm
Throughout the subsequent debate, representatives of more than 60 delegations outlined their various proposals on five core elements of reform: membership categories, the question of the veto held by the Council’s five permanent members (China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, United States), regional representation, the size of an enlarged Council and the body’s working methods. Many welcomed that, a decade into a formal intergovernmental negotiation process, the gap between States’ positions was now narrowing, with broad agreement emerging on the notion of expanding the Council’s non‑permanent membership in favor of countries belonging to underrepresented regions.

China Should Back India for a Permanent UN Security Council Seat,
The Diplomat, February 13, 2015
https://thediplomat.com/2015/02/china-should-back-india-for-a-permanent-un-security-council-seat/
Despite the lack of explicit Chinese support for an Indian bid to join the UNSC as a permanent member, India should make the most of China’s favorable position to press China to support its bid. India and China often vote together at international forums despite their bilateral differences and border disputes. Moreover, an India on the UNSC would provide a neutral and independent counterweight to other powers and would help usher in a more multipolar world, as many Chinese analysts wish for. Despite being a liberal democracy, India has supported Russia and China on issues of non-interference in the affairs of other states and would help balance the UNSC away from the Western bloc.

UN security council must be revamped or risk irrelevance, Kofi Annan warns,
The Guardian, September 23, 2015 – 3 min
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/un-security-council-must-be-revamped-or-risk-irrelevance-kofi-annan-warns
The UN security council must take in new permanent members or risk becoming increasingly irrelevant on the international stage, former secretary general Kofi Annan has warned. In an interview with the Guardian, Annan said Russia, China, the US, France, and the UK should take advantage of the imminent 70th anniversary of the UN to modernize the pre-eminent global security body by welcoming in powers such as India and Germany. “I firmly believe that the council should be reformed: it cannot continue as it is. The world has changed and the UN should change and adapt. If we don’t change the council, we risk a situation where the primacy of the council may be challenged by some of the new emerging countries. “I think those in privileged positions will have to think hard and decide what amount of power they are prepared to release to make the participation of the newcomers meaningful. If they do that, they will get cooperation; if they don’t, we risk confrontation.”

The U.N. Security Council Needs Reform,
Big Think, April 23, 2012 – 1 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiLvYyM8MMc
Question: Are the days of the United States as the dominant global superpower coming to an end?Mary Robinson: I think they have certainly changed and are no longer at all the way that the United States was perceived at the very beginning of this century; the year 2000, say. That\’s reflected in the G20 and other developments. There should be a reform of the Security Council, the Security Council does not reflect the power balance and economic balance in our world today and so we need more urgent reform than we did because we recognize. At the same time, the United States is still a very, very powerful player. And I think there is a wisdom that the United States reengage again in these alliances and partnerships that are being spoken about by the Obama administration. I do believe that that\’s the way for the United States to go. Recorded: September 21, 2010, Interviewed by Victoria Brown.

France reiterates support for India\’s permanent seat at UNSC,
All India Radio, March 4, 2019
http://www.newsonair.com/Main-News-Details.aspx?id=360549
French Permanent Representative to the UN François Delattre told reporters that enlargement of the powerful UN body in both permanent and non-permanent categories is the first crucial part towards UNSC reform.

France Reiterates Support For India\’s Permanent Membership At UNSC,
NDTV, March 4, 2019
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/france-reiterates-support-for-indias-permanent-membership-at-un-security-council-2002233
UNITED NATIONS: France has reiterated its support for India as the permanent member of the powerful UN Security Council, saying the UNSC\’s enlargement is the \”first crucial part\” towards its reform. Reiterating its support for India, Germany, and Japan as permanent members of an expanded Council, France said that enlargement of the powerful UN organ in both permanent and non-permanent categories is the \”first crucial part\” towards UNSC reform. France has maintained that if the crisis of recent times has confirmed the centrality of the UN, they have also reinforced the need to make the organization more effective and more representative of the current balances in the world. \”That is why France pushes for the expansion of the Security Council by supporting the accession to a permanent seat of Germany, Brazil, India, Japan, as well as a greater presence of African countries,\” according to the Permanent Mission of France.

India and the UN: Here from the Start,
Diplomacy & Commerce, August 11, 2016
http://www.diplomacyandcommerce.rs/india-and-the-un-here-from-the-start/
India and the UN have had fruitful cooperation even from the very beginning. India was among the original members of the United Nations that signed the Declaration by United Nations at Washington. As a founding member of the UN, India strongly supports the purposes and principles of the UN and has made significant contributions in implementing the goals of the Charter, and the evolution of the UN’s specialized programmes and agencies.

Is a U.N. Security Council Permanent Seat Still a Dream for India,
Amit Kumar Mishra, News Blog, November 22, 2010
https://mishraamit.wordpress.com/2010/11/22/is-un-security-council-permanent-seat-still-a-dream-for-india/
India deserves to be a permanent member of the UN Security Council because:
[*] India is one out of every six humans is an Indian.
[*] India is the world’s biggest, most vibrant, liberal, secular democracy.
[*] India is the world’s 4th largest economy (larger than that of the UK and France combined and larger than that of Russia) and one of the fastest growing.
[*] India is an acknowledged technology superpower.
[*] India is a responsible and peace-loving nation with powerful armed forces firmly under civilian control.
[*] India is a responsible nuclear power with a strong record of non-proliferation.
….— As of September 2009, India was estimated to have had a stockpile of around 60-80 warheads.
[*] India has contributed significantly to UN peacekeeping operations.
[*] India is one of the oldest living civilizations and a perennial and prolific fountainhead of influential culture and spirituality.

Updated Security Council Must Reflect Changing Global Reality, as General Assembly Debates Ways to Advance Progress on Reform,
United Nations General Assembly, November 7, 2016
https://www.un.org/press/en/2016/ga11854.doc.htm

After two decades of stalled action on Security Council reform, it was high time to move the process forward, the General Assembly heard today, with many speakers calling for an updated Council that would better reflect the sweeping global changes that had occurred since the founding of the United Nations in 1946.

Despite those clarion calls, however, Member States remained divided over their respective visions for the Council, currently comprising five permanent members — China, France, Russian Federation, United Kingdom, and the United States — and 10 elected members. There were differences of opinion on five core reform issues: membership categories, the question of the veto held by the five permanent members, regional representation, the size of an enlarged Council, and Council working methods.

HARALD BRAUN (Germany), speaking on behalf of the G4 Group, comprised of Brazil, India, Japan, and Germany, said Council reform was an urgent matter. In 2005, the Heads of State and Government of the G4 underscored the need for early reform of the body, yet little to no progress had since been achieved. Today, the international community had painfully observed the shortcomings of the Council in its outdated composition. The Council must be rendered fit-for-purpose in order to face the current global challenges of peace and security, he said, adding that all regions must be adequately represented to ensure legitimacy and effectiveness. Nevertheless, he said, some had perpetuated the myth that the Member States were maintaining irreconcilable positions on reform, when in fact there had been convergences on all five pillars.

SYED AKBARUDDIN (India), aligned himself with the L.69 Group and the G4 Group, stressing the urgent need to reform the Council to be able to more effectively address human suffering and global security threats. Global governance structures had to be updated and adjusted to be able to deal with new security challenges. The lack of broad representation in the membership of Council added to its lack of legitimacy and credibility. Text-based negotiations would facilitate the process of moving the reform efforts forward, he said, welcoming the newly founded Group of Friends on Security Council Reform to encourage discussions that went beyond group interests.

India and the United Nations: Peacekeeping & Peacebuilding,
United Nations Archive, Last Accessed: March 2019
https://web.archive.org/web/20140221201324/http://www.un.int/india/india%20%26%20un/peacekeeping.pdf

India stands solidly committed to assisting the UN in the maintenance of international peace and security with a proud history of UN peacekeeping dating back to its inception in the 1950s. India has contributed nearly 160,000 troops, the largest number from any country, participated in more than 43 missions and 156 Indian peacekeepers have made the supreme sacrifice while serving in UN missions. India has also provided and continues to provide eminent Force Commanders for UN Missions.

India is of the view that the international community must grasp the rapid changes that are underway in the nature and role of contemporary peacekeeping operations. The Security Council’s mandates to UN peacekeeping operations need to be rooted in ground realities and correlated with the resources provided for the peacekeeping operation. It is critical that troop and police contributing countries should be fully involved at all stages and in all aspects of mission planning.

India’s unique combination of being the largest democracy in the world with a strong tradition of respect for rule of law and the successful experience in nation building makes it particularly relevant in the context of twenty-first-century peacebuilding. India was reappointed to the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in December 2010, for a third 2-year term. India is strongly supportive of nationally-led plans for peace consolidation while arguing for a constructive approach and a “lighter touch” by the PBC in extending advice, support and in extending its involvement. India has also been contributing to the UN Peacebuilding Fund.

France reiterates support for India\’s permanent seat in reformed UN Security Council by Yoshita Singh,
The Hans of India, March 4, 2019
https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/International/2019-03-04/France-reiterates-support-for-Indias-permanent-seat-in-reformed-UN-Security-Council-By-Yoshita-Singh/506835

United Nations: France, which assumed the March Presidency of the United Nations Security Council, has reiterated its support for India as the permanent member of the powerful UN organ, saying the UNSC\’s enlargement is the \”first crucial part\” towards its reform.

India has been calling for the reform of the UN Security Council along with Brazil, Germany, and Japan for long, emphasizing that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member. France, a veto-wielding permanent member of the 15-nation Security Council, last month moved a fresh proposal in the UNSC along with the US and the UK to designate Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar as a global terrorist. Reiterating its support for India, Germany, and Japan as permanent members of an expanded Council, France said that enlargement of the powerful UN organ in both permanent and non-permanent categories is the \”first crucial part\” towards UNSC reform.

\”We want enlargement of the Security Council in the two categories of non-permanent and permanent categories – India, Brazil, Germany and Japan – and equitable representation of Africans and so that is the first crucial part of it,\” French Permanent Representative to the UN François Delattre told reporters here Friday. Delattre, at a joint press briefing with the German envoy to the UN Christoph Heusgen, said that the key to UN reform is openness through three different areas – the openness of the Security Council that entails expansion of the 15-nation, partnership, and openness to civil society. Germany will take over the Presidency in April.

\”That is a strategic aim that France has and I do believe it is Germany\’s strategic aim as well… If we believe in the UN and the representative nature of the Security Council, we need to ensure that enlargement (of UNSC) be a success sooner rather than later,\” Delattre said. He stressed that the UN cannot be recognized as a center of gravity for multilateralism throughout the world unless it can step-up partnerships and focus should also be made on openness to civil society, business world, NGOs and trade unions, which are all stakeholders that breathe life into the UN. \”The reform of the Security Council through its enlargement is one of the key areas and key priorities of our diplomacy,\” Delattre said.

The German Ambassador pointed out that the Security Council, in its present composition, does not reflect the realities of this world. \”France and Germany spoke with one voice in this and we need to have reforms,\” Heusgen said adding that \”If you don\’t reform the Security Council, it will lose legitimacy and therefore I think we should really work forward\”. France has maintained that if the crisis of recent times has confirmed the centrality of the UN, they have also reinforced the need to make the organization more effective and more representative of the current balances in the world.

\”That is why France pushes for the expansion of the Security Council by supporting the accession to a permanent seat of Germany, Brazil, India, Japan, as well as a greater presence of African countries,\” according to the Permanent Mission of France. India is at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reforms of the Security Council. Last week, India\’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said on the issue of \’Categories of Membership\’, a total of 113 member states out of the 122 which submitted their positions in the Framework Document, support expansion in both of the existing categories specified in the Charter.

\”In short, more than 90 percent of the written submissions in the document are in favor of expansion in both categories of membership specified in the Charter,\” he said during the informal meeting of the plenary on the inter-governmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on an increase in the membership of the UNSC. Earlier, Akbaruddin had said that while reform at the UN is a process rather than an event, \”there is no process known to us here that has traversed winding pathways in the manner as this process of the Reform of the Security Council\”. \”In terms of inertia too, it has no peer.

While the world is not what it was when we began the process, the objections to moving forward remain the same. \”While the global challenges of the 21st century have multiplied, we remain divided even about the process to adopt in order to move forward,\” he had said.

In timely lecture, Hauser asks \’Is U.N. reform possible?\’,
Harvard Law Today, April 19, 2005
https://today.law.harvard.edu/in-timely-lecture-hauser-asks-is-u-n-reform-possible/

CON: Unprecedented Challenges to Reforming the United Nations
S: According to… Professor Bill Alford, vice dean for international legal studies, Harvard University, Harvard Law Today, April 19, 2005
https://today.law.harvard.edu/in-timely-lecture-hauser-asks-is-u-n-reform-possible/
F: It states… The United Nations is at a crossroads, as it is facing unprecedented challenges to its authority and capability of effectively restructuring the Security Council in order to better address the challenges of global poverty, mass violence, AIDS and terrorism.
C: This means… since all permanent members must agree to any changes that reform the United Nations Security Council, adding India at this time will make it harder to reform the UN, because getting six members to agree is harder than it would be with the current ones. This puts hundreds of millions of lives in jeopardy when the UN is unable to make the necessary reforms.

Sustaining Peace: The Role of Ethics, Law, and Policy
Federica D\’Alessandra, Harvard Divinity School (HDS) fellow
https://hds.harvard.edu/news/2018/04/24/sustaining-peace-role-ethics-law-and-policy#
NOTE: D’Alessandra is a human rights advocate, counsel, and policy adviser specializing in international peace and security, and the prevention and prosecution of war crimes and crimes against humanity. D’Alessandra advises governments and international organizations on war crime prosecutions and atrocity prevention.

HDS: One of your areas of research and expertise is the United Nations (UN) reform. Though the UN has been a driver of important advances in fields such as global health and education, its record in international peacemaking and peacekeeping is mixed. Its central mission—the maintenance of international peace and security—has been stymied by disagreements among the permanent five members of the Security Council. What is the UN doing to reinvent itself so that it becomes more relevant in this aspect of its work?

FD: The United Nations has three fundamental pillars: development, human rights, and international peace and security. When I think of the enormous progress humanity has made when it comes to access to clean water, education, the fight against infant mortality and preventable disease, I credit the UN enormously. I also credit the UN for setting norms, paradigms, and standards and for developing a cooperative model of crisis response that has provided humanitarian and emergency relief for millions of people in need. I credit it for establishing a unique forum for multilateralism, where states can resolve disputes before they escalate into full-blown conflicts. Since the birth of the UN, very few countries have gone to war with one another, fewer than in any other period in human history. This type of perspective only comes with looking at the big picture and thinking in aggregate data over long timeframes.

At the same time, I am under no illusions that the UN is done achieving its goals, or that this “big-picture” perspective is sufficient. I am acutely aware that when the UN fails, it is always individuals who pay the price. Today’s world is rife with conflicts: From Yemen and Syria to South Sudan, Myanmar, and beyond, people are suffering enormously at the hands of violent and powerful human rights abusers. Though there might be less such suffering overall than at any other time in history, it remains unacceptable.

Your question touches on a very important aspect of this issue, which is the failure of the UN Security Council to live up to its responsibilities. The way the UN was set up in the aftermath of World War II gave the Council primary responsibility for international peace and security. Certain constituencies within the UN system have been particularly effective in trying to bring about small but incremental reform. What today can seem like a symbolic gain may set a new standard, and once that standard exists, it becomes harder to ignore. More generally, without going into a potential reform of the UN charter and its executive branch, we start to see innovative ways in which the leadership of the UN and of some member states are trying to make a difference and “reinvent” their contributions to international and global peace.

The 2016 “peace building resolutions” for example, which we will discuss on May 3, are an example of the ways in which the UN is engaging in new thinking when it comes to its fundamental responsibilities. These resolutions and the subsequent Sustaining Peace Agenda that the UN is now advancing were drafted precisely in response to a spike in violent conflict worldwide, and despite, or perhaps because of, the Security Council’s failures in recent years. Former UN Secretary General Dag Hammarskjöld once said: “The UN was not established to take humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell.” The path there is long and insidious, and not always linear. I am convinced, however, that slowly but eventually, the UN will fulfill that promise.

India\’s Tough Road to the Security Council
The National Interest, April 4, 2013
https://nationalinterest.org/commentary/indias-tough-road-the-security-council-8305

IR 3.22 Evaluation of India\’s term as a non permanent member in UNSC
UPSC Preparation, Published on Dec 29, 2018 [30 min]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQ6qkdWXlfw

The Big Picture – UNSC Reforms: Can India find a place in the Council?
Rajya Sabha TV, Published on Sep 17, 2015 (Air date: Sep 16, 2015) [30 min]
Guests: Meera Shankar, former Indian Ambassador to United States of America ; Commodore (Retd.) Uday Bhakar, Director, Society for Policy Studies ; B S Prakash, former Ambassador ; Prof. Chintamani Mahapatra, Chairman, Centre for Canadian, US and Latin American Studies, JNU ; K P Nayar, Consulting Editor, The Telegraph. News Anchor: Girish Nikam

UN Security Council Reform: Is it Time?
Council on Foreign Relations, Published on Jan 11, 2012 [10 min]

Description: The permanent membership of the UN Security Council–comprising China, France, Russian Federation, the UK, and the United States–has remained unchanged since 1945, triggering debate over whether it should be reformed to better reflect the world today. Stewart M. Patrick, senior fellow and director of the International Institutions and Global Governance Program at the Council on Foreign Relations, outlines the debate and offers analysis of the promises and obstacles on the path to UNSC reform and expansion. Patrick says U.S. officials are \”really ambivalent\” on the question of Security Council enlargement despite President Obama\’s endorsement for India\’s and Japan\’s bids for permanent seats. This is in part because the United States is concerned whether the new members will adopt policies broadly consistent with U.S. worldview, he adds.
This video is part of The Internationalist, a series dedicated to in-depth discussions about leveraging multilateral cooperation to meet today\’s transnational challenges. For more visit The Internationalist blog: http://blogs.cfr.org/patrick/
http://www.cfr.org/global-governance/…

United Nations Security Council Fast Facts
CNN, Last Updated: April 2, 2019
https://www.cnn.com/2013/09/03/world/united-nations-security-council-fast-facts/index.html

UN Reform
Global Policy Forum, Last Accessed: April 2019
https://www.globalpolicy.org/un-reform.html

CON: UNSC Reform Requires Agreement of P5 (Any P5 Member Can \’Veto\’ Any Reform)
S: According to… Kofi Annan, Former U.N. Secretary-General, The Guardian, September 23, 2015
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/23/un-security-council-must-be-revamped-or-risk-irrelevance-kofi-annan-warns
Q: Successive secretaries general have attempted to push through reforms but have met resistance from the sitting powers, as well as stumbling blocks such as disagreement over which countries would be chosen to join the current five permanent members. Any reform of the security council would require the agreement of all five, and at least two-thirds of UN member states.

CON: All \”Permanent Members (or P5)\” Must Agree to Reforms/Changes
S: According to… Peter Yeo, president of the Better World Campaign, CQ Researcher, June 24, 2016
https://library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/document.php?id=cqresrre2016062400
\”…doubts expansion will happen anytime soon. “It would require the [five permanent] members of the council to give up some of their powers, and they don\’t want to do that,” he says. “I think Security Council reform is long overdue and highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.”

Sexual exploitation and abuse among peacekeeping forces, and India’s response
Observer Research Foundation, February 21, 2018
https://www.orfonline.org/expert-speak/sexual-exploitation-and-abuse-among-peacekeeping-forces-and-indias-response/

Should India be Given a Permanent Seat at the United Nations Security Council?,
Leon Davies, Ideas on Info, April 7, 2018
https://www.ideasoninfo.co.uk/ideas-on-info/2018/4/7/should-india-be-given-a-permanent-seat-at-the-united-nation-security-council

Why India does not deserve to be Permanent Member of the UN Security Council,
Security Wise, November 23, 2018

Why India does not deserve to be Permanent Member of the UN Security Council

France reiterates support for India\’s permanent seat in reformed UN Security Council,
Economic Times of India, March 4, 2019
https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/france-reiterates-support-for-indias-permanent-seat-in-reformed-un-security-council/articleshow/68250699.cms

India Offers To Temporarily Forgo Veto Power If Granted Permanent UNSC Seat,
Huffington Post (news), August 3, 2017
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/india-offers-to-temporarily-forgo-veto-power-if-granted-permanen_a_21876304/

CON: India\’s Willingness to Give Up Veto is NOT Permanent
S: According to… he Huffington Post (news), August 3, 2017
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/india-offers-to-temporarily-forgo-veto-power-if-granted-permanen_a_21876304/
F: It states… India is willing to give up the veto on a temporary basis if this would lead to permanent seat on the UNSC. This would be offered as a \’bargaining chip\’ in order to help speed up the reform process.
C: This means… if granted permanent membership to the U.N. Security Council, India will (eventually) have the same voting authority as the other permanent members.

PRO: Expanding Just Non-Permanent Membership (Worsens \”Imbalance of Influence\”)
S: According to… he Huffington Post (news), August 3, 2017
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/india-offers-to-temporarily-forgo-veto-power-if-granted-permanen_a_21876304/
F: It states… Expanding only the non-permanent categories would only worsen \”the imbalance of influence\” in the Council and \”tilt the scales\” in favour of an outdated set-up, says India\’s Permanent Representative Syed Akbaruddin.
C: This means… rejecting India\’s bid in favor of non-permanent expansion will make the existing problems even worse than they are now; it would be a terrible reform.

PRO: Pettiness & Rivalry Blocks Important Reforms
S: According to… he Huffington Post (news), August 3, 2017
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/india-offers-to-temporarily-forgo-veto-power-if-granted-permanen_a_21876304/
F: It states… Uniting for Consensus, is a 13-member group that includes Pakistan. The group has been waging a decades-long battle against expanding permanent membership and blocking the reform process.
C: This means… we should not allow petty jealousies and regional/economic rivalries prevent an important expansion of the UNSC; India is the most qualified candidate, yet petty rivals are trying to block the process.

PRO:
S: According to… he Huffington Post (news), August 3, 2017
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/india-offers-to-temporarily-forgo-veto-power-if-granted-permanen_a_21876304/
F: It states… The UFC group is approaching reforms from a narrow national perspective of ensuring that certain countries do not get permanent membership – for example, Pakistan\’s opposition to India – through the reform process.
C: This means…

PRO:
S: According to… he Huffington Post (news), August 3, 2017
https://www.huffingtonpost.in/2017/03/08/india-offers-to-temporarily-forgo-veto-power-if-granted-permanen_a_21876304/
F: It states… The G4 points out that the number and allocation of non-permanent seats have outlived their relevance. There are 53 members of the Asia-Pacific group of nations with only two elected seats on the UNSC, while the 26-member Western Europe group also gets two.
C: This means… the current represetnation shows Asia being underrepresented while Europe is overrepresented; adding India would better reflect the need more more Asian representation and opens the door for more African and South American reresentation as well.

RESEARCHER CONTACT INFORMATION (Coach Bill):

Bill Eddy,
coachbill@magnetacademy.com
Hangouts: billeddy@gmail.com
Mobile Phone: 714/655-8135 (I prefer text)
When contacting me, please include your name and class information (day/time). Thanks!

PROCEDURAL FRAMEWORK:
A. Burden

B. Violation

C. Standards
..1. “Fair Limits”
..2. “Experts”
..3. “failure of Logic” (Hasty Generalization or Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc…)

D. Voting Implication
..1. “Jurisdiction”
..2. “Education”
..3. “Best Practices”

Permanent Membership on UNSC for India Current Research for the MLA LD Debate Topic…