Russia exclusion from UN Security Council ‘meaningless talk’: envoy

PanARMENIAN.Net - The discussion about possible exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council is just “meaningless talk,” Russia’s Ambassador to UN Vitaly Churkin said.

“With regard to the exclusion of Russia from the UN Security Council, they should read the Charter of the United Nations before making such claims, as it is absolutely clear that it is impossible,” Churkin said Wednesday, Sept 10, in an interview with the Rossiya-24 TV channel, according to RIA Novosti.

According to Churkin, “five permanent members are stated in the United Nations Charter.”

In order to “exclude someone, it is necessary to make an amendment to the United Nations Charter. Two thirds of 129 UN member countries have to vote for it. After that, it will have to be ratified by two thirds, including the five permanent member states of the UN Security Council. So, Russia itself would have to ratify the amendment that would exclude it from permanent UN Security Council member states,” Churkin explained.

“You know, none of the permanent UN member states will ever commit such political hara-kiri. These are all just meaningless talks,” Churkin concluded.

The United Nations Security Council was established in 1946 in order to maintain international peace and security. Its powers include the establishment of peacekeeping operations, international sanctions and the authorization of military actions.

The UN Security council is composed of 5 permanent members, including Russia, China, France, the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as 10 non-permanent members, elected for two-year terms by the General Assembly.