Australia Urges UN Reform And Reminds Of Big Country Conflict

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong during a speech at the 78th Assembly of the United Nations in New York, USA, Friday (22/9/2023). (ANTARA)

ANKARA - Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong supports the United Nations (UN) reform by reminding that the conflict between great powers is an "existent threat" to the whole world.

"Often small countries, which are very far from big countries, are the most burdened parties in the struggle for influence, and the legacy of the competition will overshadow generations," Wong said at the 78th Assembly of the United Nations in New York, USA, Friday.

"However, the modern arms race has forever changed the scale of competition for big countries, and pushed humanity to the brink of disaster," he added.

Wong also said that the UN Security Council must ensure a greater permanent and non-permanent representation of Africa, Latin America, and Asia, including permanent seats for India and Japan.

"And we have to ask for more permanent member seats, including restrictions on the use of veto rights," he said.

He also warned that the Indo-Pacific region was becoming more prone to conflict as tensions escalated between countries and mutually sovereign claims in the South China Sea.

He alluded to North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic missile launch programs which he considered threatened Japan and South Korea and disrupted regional stability.

The war between nuclear countries could make the world situation worse, said Wong.