German Ambasador Christoph Heusgen today (30 Jul) expressed support for Security Council reform that would allow Germany to have a permanent seat, but said, “those countries who are very happy with the status quo are blocking the process.”
Talking to reporters in New York, Heusgen said, “when you talk outside to people about the reform process, and you tell them that for the last ten years it was not possible to have text-based negotiations. So that you don’t even have a text with different options on the basis of which to negotiate, that there are countries that try to prevent this, then people say, well, are you crazy?”
The German Ambassador said “we are in favour of a reform of the Security Council which would allow for us to have a permanent seat. Now, this is not around the corner, but we will not lessen our engagement in New York only because this reform doesn’t make progress. We’ll drive this reform process but when we are not in the Security Council, we will also make sure that we have an impact here.”
Heusgen said “it is in the interest” of the United States, Russia and China “to go by the international rule-based order” and not “take the UN as a menu a la carte.”
He said, “in the long run, everybody is best served if everybody goes by these rules.”
Germany held the presidency of the Council during the month of July.
