French Diplomacy in Search of Reforms of the UN Security Council

Abstract

The Author analyses the position of France towards reforms of the UN Security Council (UNSC). Special attention is devoted to the French initiative on expanding the UN Security Council and on restraining the use of veto of the permanent members of the UNSC in cases of gen- ocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. The article contains detailed analysis of the French initiative, including the concept of «The responsibility to protect» and the mechanisms which trig- ger the procedures in the UNSC for voluntary suspension on using the veto of Permanent Five in the event of mass atrocities. The reference is made on restrained reaction of the Permanent Five and leading regional powers – members of the BRICS on the French initiative. The attitude of the Rus- sian Federation to the French initiative on expanding the UNSC and suspension of the veto is being explained in details. The article focuses also on questions related to further progressing of the French initiative on the reform of the UNSC and introduction of changes in the Proposal of Paris. The forecast is made on perspectives of constructive cooperation of the international community in joint resolution of problems of international humanitarian law related to acute crisis situations.

Keywords

• reform of the un security council
• suspension of the veto in the event of mass atrocities
• the responsibility to protect
• international humanitarian law
• intergovernmental negotia- tions on the reform of the unsc