Margallo takes part in a High-Level Meeting on the restriction on the use of veto in cases of mass atrocities

Decisions of the United Nations Security Council are taken by a majority of its nine members. The five permanent members of the Security Council (the United States, Russia, China, France and the United Kingdom) have the right to veto. The exercise of this right, or the threat of its use, has prevented decisions being taken on issues directly related to peacekeeping and international security in various regional crises on many occasions.

In order to resolve this problem, at the 68th Session of the UNGA, France proposed that the permanent members of the Security Council self-restrict their right to veto in cases of mass atrocities (genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes).

In his speech, José Manuel García-Margallo expressed Spain's support for this initiative, pointing out that the self-restriction of the right to veto is a necessary premise to avoid the suffering of innocent people, and in order to increase the credibility of the Security Council as the main United Nations body responsible for peacekeeping and international stability. In order to implement this practice, political will and leadership are all that are necessary, argued José Manual García-Margallo.

"Spain will firmly support any initiative aimed at avoiding the inaction or paralysis of the Security Council, which must assume its responsibilities, which should be without fail in cases of mass atrocities", concluded the minister.