The government was called on to vote for Guatemala when votes are cast this week to fill one of the rotating vacancies on the United Nations Security Council. The Free National Movement, in a statement released yesterday, also wants the government to make its vote public for the “benefit of the Bahamian people.”
“The FNM believes that it is in the national interest of The Bahamas and the region to support Guatemala for this rotating seat at this time,” said the press release.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who called US President George Bush a devil during a speech last month to the General Assembly, is challenging the US-backed Guatemala for a seat on the Council. Both countries have been campaigning vigorously for this Latin American and Caribbean seat.
The Nassau Guardian was unable to reach Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday for comment. However, according to international reports, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), of which The Bahamas is a member, has indicated that its 14 votes in the UN General Assembly might go to Venezuela. It is believed that CARICOM could potentially benefit from oil subsidies offered by Venezuela.
The 192 UN member nations are expected to vote at the General Assembly session this week. UN member nations will vote on council seats for representatives from Africa, Europe and Asia on Monday. But most of the attention is expected to be centered on the Guatemala-Venezuela contest.
The FNM’s call comes months after The Bahamas is believed to have voted for Cuba to have a seat on the UN’s Human Rights Council. The FNM heavily criticised the government at the time, saying that “Cuba would not have the nerve or the gumption to ask us to vote for them.. That’s an unthinkable event.”
While Mr Mitchell did not reveal how The Bahamas voted, he accused the FNM of creating “political mischief” and said that when The Bahamas was a member of The United Nations Economic and Social Council between 1993 and 1995, it voted in favour of Cuba to remain a part of the UN Human Rights Commission. The UN replaced the “Commission” with a “Council” and on May 9, Cuba was voted a member of that Council.
US Ambassador John Rood in a regular column published in The Nassau Guardian earlier this year, appeared to express concern that The Bahamas and the US were voting differently on some issues.
The Security Council oversees 70,000 blue-helmeted peacekeepers worldwide and is one of the most important international agencies with responsibility to investigate, mediate and to make recommendations for the settlement of disputes between nations. It can also make recommendations for intervention in internal conflicts under certain circumstances.
The Security Council can authorise member nations to enforce its recommendations for sanctions and even military intervention, and to call on the members of the UN to enforce its recommendations.
The Bush administration fears Mr Ch�vez will use a Security Council seat not only as a platform to berate President Bush but to play an obstructionist role as the council debates hot-button issues like Iran and North Korea. U.S. officials have complained that Mr Ch�vez is using his oil wealth to expand his influence around the globe – and looking for General Assembly votes, according to international reports.
Mr Chavez is known for his “self-avowed” campaign to forge a Third World bloc against Washington’s “hegemonistic tendencies,” the international press has reported.
The council’s five permanent members – the United States, China, Great Britain, Russia and France — mostly call the shots, because of their veto power. But passing a resolution still requires at least nine votes in the 15-member body.
The presidency of the council is rotated among members for a one-month period, meaning Venezuela could chair the body at least once during its term, serving as its spokesperson and influencing its agenda.
The Nassau Guardian
