What's New

British Prime Minister Theresa May speaking at the UN General Assembly on September 20, 2017

"Theresa May has called on the United Nations to reform as she singled out North Korea, Russia, Syria and Myanmar for criticism in a wide-ranging speech.

The Prime Minister told the UN General Assembly in New York the organisation must change in order to 'meet the challenges of the 21st century'.

She warned Britain will make up to 30% of its £90m annual core funding for the UN's agencies conditional on their ability to show they are efficient and transparent, as the Prime Minister appeared to echo US President Donald Trump's own call for 'truly bold reforms'.

Mrs May said: 'Those of us who hold true to our shared values, who hold true to that desire to defend the rules and high standards that have shaped and protected the world we live in, need to strive harder than ever to show that institutions like this United Nations can work for the countries that formed them, and for the people who we represent.'

The Prime Minister sent strongly-worded messages to various states she accused of breaching UN rules..."

Theresa May urges UN reform and threatens funding cut Article

Theresa May's speech to the UN General Assembly 2017 Development

Remarks by the Vice President to the UN Security Council Development

North Korean representatives at the UN General Assembly in 2015

"Calls by the United Nations Security Council to isolate North Korea haven't stopped Kim Jong Un from launching missiles over Japan or threatening America and its allies. This week President Trump told the General Assembly that the United States is prepared 'to totally destroy North Korea' in the event of an attack. If the international community is serious about isolating the Kim regime, there's a less drastic option not yet tried: expel North Korea from the U.N.

Since the U.N.'s founding in 1945, no member state has ever been expelled. The U.N. charter does, however, provide for eviction: 'A Member of the United Nations which has persistently violated the Principles in the present Charter may be expelled from the Organization by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council.'

North Korea never met the U.N. membership requirements to begin with. The charter says membership is open only to 'peace-loving states' that promote 'respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms.'...

A bid to toss North Korea out of the U.N. would need strong U.S. leadership, and it could fail. China and Russia could block it with their Security Council vetoes. The despot-packed General Assembly, wary of setting a precedent, could balk.

It's still worth a try. Even failure would better illuminate the perils of relying on a U.N. that values North Korea's company above its own charter..."

Kick North Korea Out of the U.N. Article