New Delhi: India abstained, along with 12 other United Nations Security council member states, on a draft resolution proposed by Russia and China that would dilute the powers and eventually end the office of the international representative overseeing the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This agreement is also known as the Dayton Agreement.
The recorded vote on the draft resolution was the only open engagement of the Council last week. There were three separate discussions on Syria, Cyprus and Lebanon, but all were held behind closed doors.
The proposal tabled by the Russians and Chinese was the culmination of diplomatic wrangling which had started after the resignation of Austria’s Valentin Inzko as High Representative in May, after a tenure lasting 12 years. His resignation was effective from August 1.
On the day of Inzko’s resignation, the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) Steering Board announced through a statement that it had appointed Germany’s Christian Schmidt as the next High Representative.
The Russians and Chinese had immediately objected to Schmidt’s appointment, asserting that there had been no consultations either with the Bosnians or Moscow.
The office of the High Representative oversees the implementation of the 1995 Dayton agreement, which ended the three-year civil war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The accord had created two entities within the country – Republika Srpska, dominated by Serbs and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily populated by Croats and Bosniaks.
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The Bosnian Serbs, supported by Russia, had long called for ending the office of the High Representative, which has powers to remove government officials and issue binding proposals.
The joint draft proposal circulated by Russia and China had supported Schmidt’s appointment but only until July 31, 2022, following which the office would be closed down. It had also severely restricted his powers in this one year.
On July 23, Russia and China voted in favour of the resolution, while the rest of the 15-member Council abstained. If no veto is cast, a resolution has to be passed by a minimum of nine votes.
This is the second resolution that India has abstained on after joining the Security Council as a non-permanent member for the eighth term. India had first abstained on a resolution that successfully extended and strengthened the sanctions regime against South Sudan in May this year.
While eight member states articulated explanations for their votes, India did not. However, India’s position on the controversy over the office of the High Representative was evident in its statement on June 29.
The Indian representative had then “taken note” of the appointment of Schmidt as the next HR and hoped that would “act to build cohesion among all parties”. This was a slightly less warm reaction than the western countries’ “support” of Schmidt, but also clearly recognised him as the next office-holder.
“We believe that it is incumbent on the OHR to continue to work with all parties in an objective manner to build trust to overcome all impediments,” said Indian deputy permanent representative to UN, R. Ravindra.
After the draft resolution failed to pass, Russia and China insisted that its failure also meant that the Council has been unable to endorse Schmidt and that the post is now vacant. The United States and the United Kingdom had pointed out that approval from the Security Council had never been required to appoint a High Representative.
The western countries had also asserted that the office of the High Representative could not be abolished as the seven conditions, known as the ‘5+2’ agenda, had still not been met. India had also agreed. “Expeditious implementation of the 5+2 agenda should remain the top priority,” said the Indian diplomat on June 29.
India also stated that it was “unfortunate” that the new appointment had led to differences within Bosnia and Herzegovina, and hoped that disagreement among members of the PIC steering board would be resolved by “consensus, in line with the Peace agreement”.
The other two key deliverables from the Security Council was a press statement on the July 19 terror attack in Iraq, as well as, a presidential statement condemning Turkish leaders’ statement on reopening the fenced-off area in Cyprus. India has always been a strong supporter of the Greek Cypriots in long-standing dispute, which was reiterated recently.
People walk on a beach inside an area fenced off by the Turkish military since 1974 in the abandoned coastal area of Varosha, a suburb of the town of Famagusta in Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus, October 8, 2020. Photo: Reuters/Harun Ucar/File Photo
Turkey immediately rejected the UNSC’s condemnation claiming that the statement was based on “Greek-Greek Cypriot black propaganda and groundless claims”.
This week in UNSC
On Monday, the Council begins its week with a briefing about the implementation of resolution 2565 related to equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. Besides, there will be discussion related to central Asia, Darfur and Palestine. Before the end of the month, the Council will also have to renew the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Cyprus and the sanctions regime of the Central African Republic.
Outside the Council chambers, UK is likely to hold an Arria-formula meeting about Myanmar on Thursday. An Arria formula meeting is an informal meeting of UNSC members, convened by a UNSC member. There is also another Arria-type meeting on preventing terrorism and tackling gender inequalities, organised by Estonia, Mexico, Norway, the UK and the US.
This is a weekly column that tracks the UNSC during India’s current term as a non-permanent member. Previous columns can be found here.