Riyadh (AsiaNews / Agencies ) - Saudi Arabia has rejected the position of non-permanent member state of the Security Council of the United Nations for a period of two years to which it had been elected Thursday.
The rejection was motivated , yesterday, by the futility of the Security Council , as evidenced by its failure to resolve conflicts throughout the world, such as the 65 years of the " Palestinian issue " and Syrian civil war .
In a statement released yesterday, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs states that " The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia believes that the manner, the mechanisms of action and a double standard existing in the Security Council prevent it from performing its duties and assuming its responsibilities toward preserving international peace and security as and when required. "
The note cites the lack of " a just and lasting solution " to the Palestinian issue and the fact that " allowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill and burn its people with chemical weapons, while the world stands by idly, without applying deterrent sanctions against the regime".
Riyadh's decision was criticized by Russia, which spoke of a "strange " arguments used as motivation them. According to the Foreign Ministry in Moscow "the kingdom's arguments arouse bewilderment and the criticism of the U.N. Security Council in the context of the Syria conflict is particularly strange."
France, however , said he shares Riyadh's frustration. The spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Romain Nadal also spoke of "ongoing dialogue on the issue of Syria and Saudi Arabia ."
Turkey also weighed in on Saudi Arabia's decision, with President Abdullah Gul , who spoke of a "loss of credibility" by the UN.
Diplomatic sources note that an official statement of renunciation has not yet reached UN Headquarters and that from here in January, when the Saudi kingdom should takes its place on the Security Council , things can change .
