Reykjavík Grapevine - 09.02.2007, Blaðsíða 5

08_REYKJAVÍK_GRAPEVINE_ISSUE 0_007_POLITICS/ELECTIONS 007
Should Iceland Pursue a Seat in the United Nation’s Security Council?
Yes, I think we should. In the United Nation’s char-
ter, the Security Council is given the main respon-
sibility of retaining peace and security in the world.
As members of the United Nations for more than
60 years we are bound to contribute to pursuing
these main goals. Therefore it is time to take full ac-
tion and apply for a seat on the Security Council.
My opinion is actually that Iceland’s candidature
on the Security Council isn’t a goal in itself but a
logical continuation of the development in secur-
ing Iceland’s foreign interests, with an active par-
ticipation in international cooperation, not least in
the United Nations. As a prosperous and sovereign
nation we have a duty to take responsibility in inter-
national relations.
I’m therefore convinced that such candidature
would strengthen Iceland’s position in the interna-
tional arena and take care of Iceland’s interests in
foreign affairs, and other Nordic countries interests
as well, as our candidature is Nordic.
If Iceland is elected and takes a seat in the UN
Security Council I am convinced that we have a
valid role in being there. Iceland is a peaceful nation
and doesn’t have any complex interests to protect
around the globe. Therefore we have credibility and
we will be listened to.
Iceland’s emphasis in the candidature focuses
on these facts and I like it. There, the emphasis
has been on respect for international law, human
rights and democracy; respect and tolerance in in-
ternational relations and the importance of facing
threats against security in the widest context, espe-
cially regarding individuals’ safety and connection
between development and peace building. The
importance of considering the needs of women in
war-torn areas and in peacekeeping has also been
stressed, which I find very important as women are
often victims of conflicts, directly and indirectly.
Sæunn Stefánsdóttir Candidate for the Progressive Party xB
xD
xF
xS
xV
Ármann Kr. Ólafsson Candidate for the Independence Party
Magnús Þór Hafsteinsson Candidate for the Liberal Party
Guðmundur Steingrímsson Candidate for the Social Democratic Alliance
Katrín Jakobsdóttir Candidate for the Left-Green Movement
It is tempting for a nation like Iceland, with only
300 thousand inhabitants, to get a seat on the
Security Council and have a profound influence
on the development of world affairs. In short,
this influence, could help present our good
causes in the international community. We can’t
forget though that the five member states who
have permanent seats on the Security Council -
Britain, The United States, France, China and Rus-
sia hold veto power which underlines the great
imbalance between real powers of influence in
the Council.
When Iceland pursued a seat on the Security
Council for the term 2009 to 2010, everything
indicated that there was broad support for that
decision. Support from the Nordic countries was
known in advance, and usually that should be
enough. Later on, Turkey also made a claim for a
seat and therefore Nordic solidarity is no guaran-
tee for Iceland’s plans becoming a reality, seeing
that three states want the two seats available.
The struggle for the seat will therefore become
really expensive, as would membership itself.
In my opinion it is possible to achieve many no-
ble goals with systematic work-methods and less
expenditure than by joining the Security Council.
Here we can point to specific projects in the field
of human rights, development and welfare aid.
The question here was: Should Iceland apply
for a seat in the UN Security Council?
The status now is that Iceland has done that and
if we get the seat we have to be careful that we
will be listened to. We can’t just present some
general goals. Iceland’s initiative has to be to re-
view specific matters concerning individual na-
tions. What the international community gains
by our membership is that we don’t have any
interests vested in the states the Councils powers
are, for the most part, governed by and we can
arrive fresh to the table.
The chapter addressing foreign affairs in the
Liberal Party’s political proposal, which was ac-
cepted at the party’s national convention held
January 26th and 27th, reads as follows:
“The Liberal Party declares that it is against
Iceland’s application for a seat in the United Na-
tion’s Security Council and criticizes the amount
of money spent already.
We in the Liberal Party are opposed to Ice-
land applying for a member seat on the Security
Council and think that the money supposed to
be wasted in applying would be better spent in
developing aid for states and ethnic groups that
need guidance and help to pursue a better life
and education. We can’t see how it can be jus-
tifiable to spend hundreds of millions just to un-
dergo such world-power dreams and ambitions.
In our opinion, that amount is better spent on
other projects and humanitarian issues.”
No, I see little reason for that. Participating is ex-
pensive and I think the money would be better
spent elsewhere. Besides, it is hard to see what
we are meant to do in the Security Council. I sus-
pect that what we have here is the extravagant
ambition of a few people who rushed in on this
without asking a single soul. It has never been ex-
plained well enough why on earth it is supposed
to be important for us to join the Security Council
with all the expenses attached.
The diplomatic service’s strengths would
come to better use in other projects, in devel-
opment aid for example or to support Icelandic
interests in foreign trading. The main reason why
I don’t feel we have a specific business in the
Security Council is because the nation’s foreign
policy has been deeply abject in recent years, if
not always. We have gone along with the United
States far too much, as can be seen in the gov-
ernment’s support of their invasion in Iraq. We
have presented an independent foreign policy far
to rarely. Icelandic authorities emphasized disar-
mament on open waters by the time of the Cold
War, but any other examples are hard to find.
If we, on the other hand, had adopted an in-
dependent, unique and noteworthy foreign poli-
cy, which would emphasize pacifism and the fact
that this nation has no army – a fact that gives us
unique position – I think we could possibly have
some purpose in the Security Council, as an es-
sential voice. But sorry to say, this isn’t the voice
Icelandic government uses when addressing for-
eign affairs. As long as this is the case, we have
no business in joining the Security Council except
for drinking cocktails and chatting with powering
nations
It is natural for an independent nation with some
ambition in international issues to want a seat on
the Security Council. But then, the purpose has
to be clear. What business has Iceland in the Se-
curity Council?
An issue Icelanders should address in this as-
sembly is respect for international law, increased
emphasis on peace-building and unconditional
denunciation of war-invasions of any kind. We
can also point out more initiative in international
environmental affairs, such as climatic change,
which will by all likelihood become the biggest
security issue in the future.
It’s really important that a responsible na-
tion take the initiative in working against climate
change and, in that field, Icelanders could have a
significant role if there were the political will to
adopt a new environmental policy.
On the other hand, it is hard to see what Ice-
landers are planning to do in the Security Coun-
cil if the present foreign policy does not change,
where we would always look to the American
representative before passing a vote. That’s how
Iceland’s foreign policy has been in reality; uncon-
ditional support of Uncle Sam, probably reaching
its peak with our support of the pointless and
bloody war in Iraq in 2003. While we still follow
such foreign policy we have no business in join-
ing the Security Council and it’s plainly a waste to
spend hundreds of millions in such process.
The main issue in foreign affairs should be to
change this policy. Before we do that, we have
no business in the Security Council or any other
international institutions where important deci-
sions are made.
In the build up to the 2007 parliamentary elections, The Reykjavík Grapevine will be asking representitives from each of the political parties to answer questions regarding the most pressing issues.