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Saudi Arabia Rejects Security Council Seat Saudi Arabia Rejects Security Council Seat
(about 2 hours later)
LONDON — Assailing what it called double standards at the United Nations, Saudi Arabia on Friday took the unprecedented step of rejecting a highly coveted seat on the United Nations Security Council it had won for the first time just a day earlier.LONDON — Assailing what it called double standards at the United Nations, Saudi Arabia on Friday took the unprecedented step of rejecting a highly coveted seat on the United Nations Security Council it had won for the first time just a day earlier.
The protest, made known in a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, said, “The manner, the mechanisms of action and double standards existing in the Security Council prevent it from performing its duties and assuming its responsibilities toward preserving international peace and security as required.” The protest, made known in a statement from the Saudi Foreign Ministry carried by the official Saudi Press Agency, sent shock waves through diplomatic circles and appeared to reflect an overnight decision by country’s ruling monarchy, undoing extensive planning by subordinates who were excited that Saudi Arabia was about to assume the Security Council seat.
The gesture appeared to reflect Saudi Arabia’s simmering annoyance at the Security Council’s record in Syria, where Russia and China — two of the five permanent members — have blocked Western efforts, broadly supported by Saudi Arabia, to pressure President Bashar al-Assad. The other permanent members are the United States, Britain and France. “The manner, the mechanisms of action and double standards existing in the Security Council prevent it from performing its duties and assuming its responsibilities toward preserving international peace and security as required,” the statement said.
The announcement came a day after Chad, Chile, Lithuania, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia were elected to seats on the 15-member Security Council for a two-year term starting in January. They replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo. The seats are prized because they give officials access to high-level diplomacy and offer a rare opportunity to influence events. The statement appeared to at least partly reflect the Saudi Arabian monarchy’s simmering annoyance at the Security Council’s record in Syria, where Russia and China — two of the five permanent members — have blocked Western efforts, broadly supported by Saudi Arabia, to pressure President Bashar al-Assad. The other permanent members are the United States, Britain and France.
Diplomats at the United Nations said they were shocked by the Saudi gesture and could not recall a previous time when a member state elected to one of the nonpermanent seats had rejected it. “The actual rejection by an elected member seems unprecedented,” one diplomatic official said. The Saudi statement came a day after Chad, Chile, Lithuania, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia were elected to seats on the 15-member Security Council for a two-year term starting in January. They replace Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo. The seats are prized because they give officials access to high-level diplomacy and offer a rare opportunity to influence events.
It was unclear whether the Saudi decision was reversible. Efforts to reach Saudi officials for further elaboration were not immediately successful. Diplomats at the United Nations said they were taken aback by the Saudi gesture and could not recall a previous time when a member state elected to one of the nonpermanent seats had rejected it. “The actual rejection by an elected member seems unprecedented,” one diplomatic official said.
Also unclear was whether the 193-member United Nations General Assembly would need to convene again for a special election to replace Saudi Arabia on the Security Council if the Saudis insist on refusing the seat. Saudi officials did not publicly explain why such a reversal had been decided on with such short notice. But many Saudi diplomats and political observers appear to have been shocked by the decision, which reversed years of careful planning for Saudi Arabia’s first seat on the Security Council.
The Saudis had assembled a team of seasoned diplomats in preparation for their new role, and the Saudi political elite had seemed thrilled at the prospect of a shift toward a more assertive diplomatic stance.
Late on Thursday, the spokesman for the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Osama Nugali, forwarded a message on his Twitter account celebrating the kingdom’s election to the Security Council and written by Jamal Khashoggi, a prominent journalist with links to the ruling elite. Many other prominent Saudis also forwarded the message, which congratulated the kingdom for winning a seat it had sought for more than two years with the help of "a team of the best Saudi diplomats to represent the kingdom.”
“This is very bad for the image of the country,” said one Saudi political insider, who, like several others, requested anonymity because the decision was assumed to be by the king, whose judgment is rarely questioned in public. “It’s as if someone woke up in the night and made this decision. It would be one thing if the kingdom had a plan for how to act outside of the Security Council. But I don’t think there is a plan.”
But some others in Riyadh, the Saudi capital, said they were not entirely surprised, given the kingdom’s long ambivalence about assuming a position that would strain friendships and alliances, given the high profile and volatility of the Security Council’s recent decisions.
It is unclear whether the Saudi decision is reversible. Also unclear is whether the 193-member United Nations General Assembly needs to convene again for a special election to replace Saudi Arabia on the Security Council if the Saudis insist on refusing the seat.
The council has met before without a full membership. Diplomats recalled that in 1950, Russia refused to sit at the council table, but the Russians did not repudiate their seat and the council still convened with 14 members.The council has met before without a full membership. Diplomats recalled that in 1950, Russia refused to sit at the council table, but the Russians did not repudiate their seat and the council still convened with 14 members.
Saudi Arabia’s rejection of the seat was a sharp departure from its preference for quiet diplomacy to advance its aims, particularly at a time of great regional uncertainty, with the civil war in Syria affecting neighboring countries and the United States, Saudi Arabia’s biggest international backer, pursuing what seems to be a cautious and untested opening toward Iran, the Saudis’ main regional adversary. Russia was sharply critical of the Saudi gesture. “We are surprised by Saudi Arabia’s unprecedented decision,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement carried by news agencies. “The kingdom’s arguments arouse bewilderment and the criticism of the U.N. Security Council in the context of the Syria conflict is particularly strange.”
Saudi Arabia’s decision to turn down the seat, after trying for the first time to win it, seemed all the more surprising because its efforts to seek representation had been taken by experts as a reflection of the kingdom’s wish to be more assertive in resolving the Syrian civil war and the Arab-Israeli conflict. The United States, one of Saudi Arabia’s strongest Western allies, also appeared to be caught off guard. On Thursday evening, the American ambassador to the United Nations, Samantha Power, issued a statement congratulating the five new nonpermanent members. Officials at the United States Mission to the United Nations had no immediate comment.
Tthe Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Abdallah Y. al-Mouallimi, said after the General Assembly vote on Thursday that it was “a reflection of a longstanding policy in support of moderation and in support of resolving disputes by peaceful means,” The Associated Press reported. Saudi Arabia’s rejection of the seat was a sharp departure from its preference for quiet diplomacy to advance its aims, particularly at a time of great regional uncertainty, with the civil war in Syria affecting neighboring countries and with the United States pursuing what seems to be a cautious and untested opening toward Iran, the Saudis’ main regional adversary.
The Saudi decision seemed all the more surprising because its efforts to seek representation had been taken by experts as a reflection of the kingdom’s wish to be more assertive in resolving the Syrian civil war and the Arab-Israeli conflict.
The Saudi ambassador to the United Nations, Abdallah Y. al-Mouallimi, said after the General Assembly vote on Thursday that it was “a reflection of a longstanding policy in support of moderation and in support of resolving disputes by peaceful means,” The Associated Press reported.
The statement on Friday struck a far less conciliatory tone, calling for changes to enhance the Security Council’s contribution to peace. It did not say what those should entail.The statement on Friday struck a far less conciliatory tone, calling for changes to enhance the Security Council’s contribution to peace. It did not say what those should entail.
Saudi Arabia supports the rebellion against Mr. Assad and has criticized the council in the past over what it describes as an inadequate response to turmoil in the Middle East. In an apparent display of displeasure last month, the Saudi foreign minister canceled a speech to the General Assembly.Saudi Arabia supports the rebellion against Mr. Assad and has criticized the council in the past over what it describes as an inadequate response to turmoil in the Middle East. In an apparent display of displeasure last month, the Saudi foreign minister canceled a speech to the General Assembly.
The Saudi Press Agency quoted the statement as saying, “First of all, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is pleased to extend its sincere thanks and deep gratitude to all countries that have given their confidence to elect it as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the next two years.The Saudi Press Agency quoted the statement as saying, “First of all, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is pleased to extend its sincere thanks and deep gratitude to all countries that have given their confidence to elect it as a nonpermanent member of the United Nations Security Council for the next two years.
“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a founding member of the United Nations, is proud of its full and permanent commitment to the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations, believing that commitment of all member states, honestly, truthfully and accurately, as agreed upon and stipulated in the charter is the real guarantee for world security and peace.”“The kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a founding member of the United Nations, is proud of its full and permanent commitment to the purposes and principles of the charter of the United Nations, believing that commitment of all member states, honestly, truthfully and accurately, as agreed upon and stipulated in the charter is the real guarantee for world security and peace.”
But the statement went on to accuse the Security Council of enabling Mr. Assad to press his military campaign against rebels with impunity, including through the use of chemical weapons. It also accused the body of failing to find a “just and lasting solution” to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.But the statement went on to accuse the Security Council of enabling Mr. Assad to press his military campaign against rebels with impunity, including through the use of chemical weapons. It also accused the body of failing to find a “just and lasting solution” to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
In an apparent reference to Israel’s presumed arsenal of nuclear weapons, the statement also criticized the Security Council for failing to make the Middle East free of “all weapons of mass destruction.” In an apparent reference to Israel’s presumed arsenal of nuclear weapons, the statement also criticized the Security Council for failing to free the Middle East of “all weapons of mass destruction.”
Turning to Syria, it said, “Allowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill and burn its people by the chemical weapons, while the world stands idly, without applying deterrent sanctions against the Damascus regime, is also irrefutable evidence and proof of the inability of the Security Council to carry out its duties and responsibilities.”Turning to Syria, it said, “Allowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill and burn its people by the chemical weapons, while the world stands idly, without applying deterrent sanctions against the Damascus regime, is also irrefutable evidence and proof of the inability of the Security Council to carry out its duties and responsibilities.”
“Accordingly, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, based on its historical responsibilities toward its people, Arab and Islamic nations as well as toward the peoples aspiring for peace and stability all over the world, announces its apology for not accepting membership of the Security Council until the council is reformed and enabled, effectively and practically, to carry out its duties and responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security,” the statement said.“Accordingly, the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, based on its historical responsibilities toward its people, Arab and Islamic nations as well as toward the peoples aspiring for peace and stability all over the world, announces its apology for not accepting membership of the Security Council until the council is reformed and enabled, effectively and practically, to carry out its duties and responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security,” the statement said.
The development comes as international weapons inspectors inside Syria seek to dismantle its stocks of chemical weapons under a deal brokered last month by Russia and the United States to avert American military action in reprisal for poison gas attacks on the outskirts of Damascus on Aug. 21.The development comes as international weapons inspectors inside Syria seek to dismantle its stocks of chemical weapons under a deal brokered last month by Russia and the United States to avert American military action in reprisal for poison gas attacks on the outskirts of Damascus on Aug. 21.
Additionally, a Syrian official said on Thursday that long-postponed peace negotiations under international auspices would be held in Geneva in November.Additionally, a Syrian official said on Thursday that long-postponed peace negotiations under international auspices would be held in Geneva in November.

Alan Cowell reported from London, and Rick Gladstone from New York.

Alan Cowell reported from London, Rick Gladstone from New York and Robert F. Worth from Washington.