Can Russia be expelled from the UN Security Council?

It is like having a “fox guarding the chicken yard”. That’s the picture it takes.”The country” to describe the paradox that Russia -that comes attacking Ukraine– currently presides over the UN Security Council.

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There is so much indignation and enormous nonsense that, during the recorded speech on Tuesday 1 by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov at the disarmament conference, almost all the representatives of the nations left the room. Only the delegates remained. Venezuela, Syria, Yemen and Tunisia.

A similar situation was experienced during a session of the Human Rights Council: When Lavrov spoke, the diplomats left the place.

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That is why it is not surprising that the United Kingdom has stated that it is willing to consider the option of “expel Russia from its seat as one of the five permanent members of the Security Council”.

“What we can say is that we want to see Russia isolated diplomatically and we will consider all options to achieve this.”, said a spokesman for the government of Boris Johnson.

But how viable is that option?

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Boycott against Russia at the United Nations. As Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s recorded message was played, the vast majority of nations’ representatives walked out of the room in solidarity with Ukraine. REUTERS (KRISTOFFER JONSSON/)

The ABC portal brings up a law:

“If someone looks at the Charter of the United Nations – the international treaty that is, in essence, the constitution of this international organization – and advances to article 23, they will see that Russia is not among the permanent members of the Security Council”.

“The five countries that have that immovable seat in the organ of power of the UN are the USA, China, France, the United Kingdom… and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the former USSR.”.

However, ABC tells, “the political reality of the UN” would prevent expelling Russia. Why? The veto.

This is how he explains it international analyst Óscar Vidarte:

“It is very difficult for this to happen”.

“There are those who point to some articles of the Charter of the United Nations because there is talk of the possibility of expelling a member of the organization. But that’s what the general Assembly at the recommendation of Security Council and obviously Russia I would veto any such initiative”.

Vidarte also refers to the legislation cited by ABC. “It is an argument that legally falls easily. In international law there is something called state successionand Russia is precisely the one that succeeds the Soviet Union”.

The veto, a great obstacle

There are those who consider that, if the veto resource is based on the United Nations Charter, we should see how to change the document. However, the solution is not so simple. To do so, says Vidarte, the acceptance of the five permanent members is needed, among which Russia is located. It is not difficult to imagine their vote.

“One of the main criticisms of the United Nations is the right to veto, which continues to be a big stone in the shoe in the decision-making of the Security Council”.

But it is nothing new. The specialist recalls that, recently, United States vetoed any resolution against Israel, which used military forces outside international law. Or when they themselves invaded Iraq.

“In global dynamics that involve major security problems and in which, moreover, the powers are involved, the UN simply responds with inaction due to the right to veto”.

The first country expelled by the UN was Yugoslavia. In September 1992, and at the suggestion of the Security Council, a large majority of the General Assembly expelled the country that “after its disintegration into several states, the Serbs occupied”.

According to “El País”, before Yugoslavia, South Africa suffered “a similar international punishment”: “In 1974 Pretoria’s diplomatic credentials were suspended, but the country remained a member”.

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Source: Elcomercio