October 3, 2013: The Vatican has proposed a reform of the United Nations. At the
moment the UN is split into two sections: the Ordinary Section and the Security Council
but the Vatican would like all members to be able to express themselves and take part
in decision-making as well. Not all nations are currently present in the Security
Council.
The President of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Cardinal
Peter Appiah Turkson said this at the press conference presentation of Days commemorating
the 50th Anniversary of John XXIII's encyclical, “Pacem in Terris” being held between
2 and 4 October and the publication of the book“Il concetto della pace” (“The concept
of peace”) by the Vatican Publishing House.
“We do not intend to force anyone,
but to propose a reform that gives all members a voice and take part in the pursuit
of the common good,” the cardinal added.
Addressing the issue of political
institutions and global politics, Cardinal Turkson said: these “are indispensable
in addressing global questions. “Already fifty years ago, for that matter, with clarity
and clear foresight, Pacem in Terris noted the inadequacy of nation-states with respect
to the realization of the universal common good.”
Cardinal Turkson concluded
that in order to address these kinds of problems it is necessary “to begin with an
examination of the theme of reform of the largest global institution: the United Nations”.
This issue has been on the agenda for years seeing as though the debate surrounding
Security Council reform started approximately twenty years ago.