Released on = December 30, 2006, 10:07 pm

Press Release Author = Noble World Foundation

Industry = Government

Press Release Summary = It is time for the member nations of United Nations Security
Council (UNSC) to move from narrow national self-interest to a global vision that
embraces the interests of all humanity. Strengthening the UNSC by removing the right
to veto and introducing the membership of regional unions can make this vision a
reality. Without these democratic reforms, the United Nations will fail just like
its predecessor, the League of Nations, did after the First World War. It is
universalism and humanism-not nationalism or militarism-that can ultimately empower
the United Nations to spread peace and prosperity in the world.

Press Release Body = Chicago, IL December 28, 2006 -- A few days before January 1,
2007 when South Korea\'s Ban Ki-moon takes office as the eighth Secretary-General of
the United Nations (UN), Noble World Foundation posted a thought-provoking article
entitled "A Call for Democratic Reforms of United Nations Security Council" at its
website: www.nobleworld.org. Noble World Foundation is a non-profit organization,
working to educate and inspire people to promote peace, harmony, and well-being in
the world.

In this article, Shiv R. Jhawar, the founder of Noble World Foundation and author of
the book, "Building a Noble World," writes, "It is time for the member nations of
United Nations Security Council (UNSC) to move from their narrow national
self-interest to a global vision that embraces the interests of all humanity.
Strengthening the UNSC by removing the right to veto and introducing the membership
of regional unions can make this vision a reality."

The UNSC is the main organ of the United Nations (UN) responsible for maintaining
global peace and security. While awarding the 2001 Nobel Prize for Peace jointly to
the UN and its outgoing Secretary-General, Kofi A. Annan, the Norwegian Committee
rightfully stated, "the only negotiable route to global peace and cooperation goes
by way of the United Nations."

Since its foundation on October 24, 1945, the UN has grown from 51 to 192 member
nations. Despite this semblance of world-wide unity, fair treatment amongst nations
is still lacking. The article states that the "law of the jungle" and "survival of
the fittest" mentality still dominates many international relationships. On the
world stage, the UN is unable at times to prevent invasions, proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction, and global terrorist threats. Recently, the Iraq war
has plunged the UN into its biggest crisis.

The article points out that in this age of globalization, the UN needs to replace
"might is right" with "right is might." This means, changing the priorities of a
world system that currently spends 3 billion dollars a day on armaments while 3
billion people - almost half of the world's population - live below the poverty line
of less than $2 a day.

According to the article, only a radically reformed UNSC can achieve sustainable
peace and prosperity. Although the political structure of the world has changed
dramatically since the creation of the UN in 1945, the UNSC is still dominated by
the same five permanent member nations (P5) - Russia, China, France, the United
Kingdom, and the USA. The P5, the main victors of World War II, still retain veto
power that can be used to protect their national interests at the cost of human
progress. Jhawar declares that the veto makes the Security Council ineffective in
cases where the P5 are not in unanimous agreement. If one of the P5 says "no" to a
resolution, then it is "no" even if the rest of the world supports it. This cannot
be called democratic. To create a democratic structure, the UNSC should eliminate
the veto power altogether.

The current 15-nation Security Council has five permanent and ten non-permanent,
rotating nations that hold office for two years. Analysts and diplomats have
recommended the enlargement of membership by adding influential nations like Japan,
India, Brazil, and Germany. However, in Jhawar's opinion, this will always encounter
strong opposition from their neighboring nations. Therefore, a lasting solution, as
difficult as it may sound, would be to replace member nations with appropriate
regional representation that may eventually evolve into unions like the European
Union (EU). Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the European Commissioner for External
Relations, has already suggested that the United Kingdom and France should merge
their permanent seats on the Security Council to form a single EU seat.

According to the article, the next step to UNSC reform should be to replace its
member nations with appropriate regional unions. Jhawar explains that in a proper
hierarchy, states make a nation, nations would make a regional union, and regional
unions of nations, in turn, would make a global community. Thus, regional unions
would become the necessary links between nations and a world body. This reform would
encouragethe evolution of democratic regional unions of independent nations
world-wide, following the model of the EU. The proposed membership of regional
unions, representing the entire world population, in the Security Council would
eventually raise the United Nations' status to that of a true world governing body.

"Without these democratic reforms, the UN will fail just like its predecessor, the
League of Nations, did after the First World War," warns Jhawar. "It is universalism
and humanism-not nationalism or militarism-that can ultimately empower the United
Nations to spread peace and prosperity in the world."

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Web Site = http://www.nobleworld.org

Contact Details = Noble World Foundation
PO Box 597260
Chicago, IL 60659
Phone: 773-274-6662
Fax: 773-274-6622
Email: nwf@nobleworld.org
Website: www.nobleworld.org