http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24580767
"Work mechanisms and double-standards on the Security Council prevent it
from carrying out its duties and assuming its responsibilities in keeping
world peace," the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
Saudi Arabia turns down UN Security Council seat
Saudi Arabia has turned down a non-permanent seat on the United Nations
Security Council, accusing the world body of "double standards".
The Saudi foreign ministry said the UN needs to be reformed first.
It said the Security Council had failed in its duties towards Syria as well
as in other world conflicts.
Saudi Arabia has previously expressed frustration at what it sees as an
international failure to act on Syria, where it staunchly backs the rebels.
There has been no official reaction from the UN, but diplomats there
expressed surprise at Riyadh's announcement.
Russia's foreign ministry called the move bewildering, and said Saudi
Arabia's criticism of the UN Security Council about its actions over Syria
"is particularly strange".
Continue reading the main
story<
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-24580767#story_continues_2>Analysis
[image: image of Bridget Kendall]Bridget KendallDiplomatic correspondent,
BBC News
Usually there is fierce competition to secure one of the 10 rotating seats
on the UN Security Council - a chance to sit alongside the five permanent
members for two years on the top UN body which rules on international
security issues.
Instead Saudi Arabia has used the coveted position to lodge a very public
protest.
This is the second protest from Saudi Arabia. Earlier this month the Saudi
foreign minister pulled out of giving a speech at the UN General Assembly,
expressing similar frustration.
It is a dramatic gesture, but whether it makes immediate reform of the
Security Council more likely, as the Saudis demand, is probably
questionable.
'Unprecedented move'
The announcement came hours after Saudi Arabia was elected for the first
time to one of the 10 rotating seats on the Security Council.
The non-permanent members sit on the council for two years, along with the
five permanent members - the US, the UK, France, China and Russia.
"Work mechanisms and double-standards on the Security Council prevent it
from carrying out its duties and assuming its responsibilities in keeping
world peace," the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.
"Therefore Saudi Arabia... has no other option but to turn down Security
Council membership until it is reformed and given the means to accomplish
its duties and assume its responsibilities in preserving the world's peace
and security," it added.
The failure "to find a solution to the Palestinian cause for 65 years" had
led to "numerous wars that have threatened world peace," the foreign
ministry said.
It also criticised the UN's "failure" to rid the Middle East region of
weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons.
And it accused the UN of allowing the Syrian government "to kill its own
people with chemical weapons... without confronting it or imposing any
deterrent sanctions".
The UN Security Council last month finally broke a two-and-a-half year
deadlock on how to deal with conflict in Syria after voting unanimously to
adopt a binding resolution on ridding the country of chemical weapons.
Saudi observers say Riyadh would have been working for years to gain a
place on the UN Security Council, so such a decision would have to have
been made at the very top of the kingdom's leadership.
One Security Council diplomat, quoted by AFP, said the announcement was
"totally unexpected" and without precedent.
Another said: "There was nothing controversial about the election. But the
government has made it clear in recent weeks that it is concerned about
Syria and the Palestine issue."
Received on Fri Oct 18 2013 - 12:59:19 EDT