Russia, China Call for Reforms at United Nations

Reuters ^ | 5/28/03 | Andrei Shukshin

[Mark Felton]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia and China called on Thursday for reform of the United Nations to uphold its pivotal role in world affairs.

Both countries are permanent veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council, the organization's decision-making body circumvented by the U.S. decision to go to war in Iraq without explicit U.N. backing.

Moscow and Beijing restated their commitment to the world body at a meeting of presidents from the six nations of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which also includes four ex-Soviet states in Central Asia.

"The United Nations can and should be reformed in line with the rapidly changing situation in the world, priority being given to the need to solve in an effective way the problems of world politics and security," a post-summit declaration said.

No specifics were given in the statement. But heads of state, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Hu Jintao, stressed they wanted to see the U.N. Security Council preserve its key position.

"It is fundamental to recognize the important role of the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council in solving major international problems," the document said.

The Iraq crisis has given new impetus to a longstanding debate on U.N. reform. Many countries have called for the Council to be expanded and for its powers to be altered.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization was set up in 1996 to solve Soviet-era border disputes, but has since switched its focus to combating Islamic militants and is also eyeing closer economic cooperation.

The six leaders hailed the meeting as a step toward turning their grouping into an effective body.

Diplomats say the group had an unstated aim to offset U.S. influence in Central Asia, but that has been undermined by the U.S. military presence in two member-states -- Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan -- since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

The summit, in the Kremlin's Grand Palace, took place a day after Moscow and Beijing signed a 25-year $150 billion deal to supply Russian oil to China.

Ties between Beijing and Moscow, which degenerated in the 1960s, have been underpinned in recent years by attempts to forge a strategic partnership born of a joint mistrust of U.S. foreign policy.

Putin hosts a gathering of the world's most powerful leaders this weekend to mark the 300th anniversary of Russia's Czarist capital St. Petersburg. He will hold a separate summit with President Bush on the sidelines.

[Tailgunner Joe]

[fat city]

The Shanghai Noodle Factory was set up in 1996 to solve Soviet-era border disputes,The six leaders hailed the meeting as a step toward turning their grouping into an effective body.

And isn't this just the kind of club we want to join?

The UN is the only "viable" political forum for these commies to interface on a world level.