Saudi Arabia rejects UN Security Council seatOctober 18, 2013 - 14:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Saudi Arabia is rejecting its seat on the UN Security Council and says the 15-member body is incapable of resolving world conflicts, Reuters reported. The move came just hours after the kingdom was elected as one of the Council's 10 nonpermanent members. In a statement carried on Friday by the official Saudi Press Agency, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the Council has failed in its duties toward Syria. It says this alleged failure “enabled Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime to perpetrate the killings of its people, including with chemical weapons, without facing any deterrents or punishment.” The Ministry also said the Council has not been able to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict over the past decades and has failed to transform the Middle East into a zone free of weapons of mass destruction. Earlier, Freedom House said it is concerned by United Nations General Assembly electing Saudi Arabia, Chad, and Nigeria as members of the Security Council. Saudi Arabia and Chad are rated Not Free in Freedom in the World due to widespread human rights abuses. Despite their own records, the election of Saudi Arabia, Chad, and Nigeria to the Security Council will allow these countries to have influence over human rights issues that come before the Council. Freedom House calls on UN member states to take into consideration a country’s domestic human rights situation when voting on Security Council membership, it said in a statement. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Pashinyan’s spokesperson denies intention to visit Baku for COP29 Pashinyan’s agenda doesn’t include a trip to Baku for the COP29 conference, his press secretary Nazeli Baghdasaryan has said. Lithuania sending €100,000 to help Armenia fight floods consequences Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took to social media to thank his Lithuanian counterpart for the contribution. Armenia: Rescue workers restore pedestrian bridge for flood-hit community Rescue workers on Wednesday, June 5 restored a pedestrian bridge in the town of Alaverdi in Armenia’s north. Turkey condemns Uruguay’s recognition of Armenian Genocide Turkey has condemned a newly passed law in Uruguay that recognizes the Armenian Genocide, TRT reports. |