BTL: U.N. Considers Proposals to Reform U.S.-Dominated Security Council

U.N. Considers Proposals to Reform U.S.-Dominated Security Council

Interview with James Paul, executive director of the Global Policy Forum, conducted by Melinda Tuhus

For more than a month, the U.S. news media has been focused on allegations of corruption at the United Nation's-run oil for food program that operated in Iraq from 1996 until the U.S. invasion in 2003. An investigation is being conducted by the U. N. itself, while several committees in the U.S. Congress are also examining evidence of mismanagement and fraud that reportedly funneled billions of dollars to Saddam Hussein.

That story has largely overshadowed a set of important recommendations made for reforming the United Nations put forward in early December by a committee appointed by embattled U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan. The world body has seen significant geo-political changes since its founding after World War II, which are not reflected in its current structure. One of the key recommendations is to expand membership of the powerful U.N. Security Council, which sets aside only five permanent seats for the U.S., Russia, Great Britain, France and China, with a rotating group of ten additional members.

Between The Lines' Melinda Tuhus spoke with James Paul, executive director of the Global Policy Forum with its office near the UN in New York City. The group's mission is to monitor policy making at the United Nations, promote accountability of global decisions, educate and mobilize for global citizen participation, and promote issues vital to international peace and justice. Paul discusses the need for reform to strengthen the world body, not weaken it as many conservatives in the US are advocating.

Contact the Global Policy Forum at (212) 557-3161 or visit the group's website at http://www.globalpolicy.org

LISTEN to this week's half-hour program of Between The Lines by clicking on one of the links below:

http://www.btlonline.org
*
"Between The Lines" is a half-hour syndicated radio news magazine that each week features a summary of under-reported news stories and interviews with activists and journalists who offer progressive perspectives on international, national and regional political, economic and social issues. Because "Between The Lines" is independent of all publications, media networks or political parties, we are able to bring a diversity of voices to the airwaves generally ignored or marginalized by the major media. For more information on this week's topics and to check out our text archive listing topics and guests presented in previous programs visit: http://www.btlonline.org
*
"Between the Lines," WPKN 89.5 FM's weekly radio news magazine can be heard Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. ET; Wednesdays at 8 a.m. ET and Saturdays at 2 p.m. ET (Wednesday's show airs at 7:30 a.m. ET during fundraising months of April and October).
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Weekly Summary" which features a RealAudio link to the week's program for Between The Lines, send an email to btlsummary-subscribe [at] lists.riseup.net
*
For an email subscription of "Between The Lines Q&A" which features a RealAudio link and weekly transcript to one of the interviews featured on Between The Lines, send an email to btlqa-subscribe [at] lists.riseup.net
*
betweenthelines [at] snet.net
*
http://www.squeakywheel.net/
*
Distributed by Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc.
(c)2004 Squeaky Wheel Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved.