Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the United Nations has sharply criticized the UN Security Council, just days after his country rejected a seat on the UN's most powerful body.
In comments on October 22 in New York, Ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi attacked the Security Council for failing to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for failure to act to end the civil war in Syria, and for failing to convene a conference on creating a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.
On October 18, Saudi Arabia took the unprecedented step of rejecting a rotating seat on the Security Council shortly after the UN General Assembly elected the country to serve a two-year term.
UN ambassadors from Arab countries met on October 19 in a bid to persuade Riyadh to change its position.
In comments on October 22 in New York, Ambassador Abdallah al-Mouallimi attacked the Security Council for failing to resolve the decades-long Israeli-Palestinian conflict, for failure to act to end the civil war in Syria, and for failing to convene a conference on creating a nuclear-free zone in the Middle East.
On October 18, Saudi Arabia took the unprecedented step of rejecting a rotating seat on the Security Council shortly after the UN General Assembly elected the country to serve a two-year term.
UN ambassadors from Arab countries met on October 19 in a bid to persuade Riyadh to change its position.