By IANS,
Manama : Bahrain Saturday welcomed Saudi Arabia’s decision to reject a newly won seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Bahrain’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ghanim Al Buainain said it is a strong message that exposes UN’s double standards. Parliament Chairman Khalifa Al-Dhahrani also hailed the decision and termed it as “historic”, reported Xinhua.
Saudi Arabia’s decision of not accepting the seat was a message to the West that double standards by the Council is unacceptable to the Gulf and Arab states, said Bahrain’s largest pro-government political group, National Unity Assembly, and newly formed Al Fateh Youth Coalition.
“This is a clear message to the West that Saudi Arabia rejects the Council as it did not perform its duties in supporting the Palestinian cause and putting an end (to the crisis) in Syria,” said National Unity Assembly chief Shaikh Abdullateef Al Mahmood.
“The Saudi Arabia’s courageous position also puts into the spotlight the inability of the international community in dealing with the Syrian situation and putting an end to the regime of President Bashar al-Assad,” Al Fateh Youth Coalition said in a statement.
The UN General Assembly Thursday elected Chad, Chile, Lithuania, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to a two-year term in the Security Council. One day later, Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the kingdom won’t accept the rotating seat until the Council is effectively reformed.