Your country is India and you are on the United Nations Security Council.
Prepare a 300-word count opening statement to explain your country’s position on the matter.
Draft two preambular clauses that describe the issue at hand, consider the international context and outline previous agreements and existing organizations.
Draft three operative clauses that present responses to the situation.
India’s Role
Ten nonpermanent members—two-thirds of the council—are elected by the UN General Assembly to serve two-year terms. The representatives of nonpermanent members are responsible for attending meetings, presenting motions, making statements, and voting on behalf of their government. Because nonpermanent members are elected to represent one of five regional groups, they are often expected, but not required, to consult with other nonpermanent members of their regional group to ensure they are putting forward a unified policy.
A nonpermanent member country’s representative’s goals are to promote their government’s interests and values at the United Nations, specifically by drafting and negotiating Security Council documents;
liaise and consult with other member states, nonmember states, UN staff, and other interested parties on behalf of their government; and
analyze how policy options will affect the interests, reputation, and relationships of their country.
Issues for Consideration:
How does the situation in the East China Sea threaten your country’s national security?
What national interests are at stake in this crisis? How should they be prioritized? How should they influence your country’s response?
What is the nature of the relationship between your country and both China and Japan? How does this inform potential national action in this case?
What your country’s relationship with other parties relevant to this case? How does this affect your response to the proposed policy options?
Have permanent members used vetoes on votes regarding this issue? What kind of policy options or resolutions have they vetoed? How should this influence your negotiation strategy within the Council?
What are the costs, benefits, and risks that accompany each policy option open to the UN Security Council?
What are the trade-offs raised by the potential policy options in this case?
What are the positions and interests of other countries and organizations that have a stake in the situation in the East China Sea?
Research Leads:
Research essential facts about your country, including its political system and government, economy, culture, and physical geography. The CIA World Factbook and BBC country profiles are good places to start.
Identify and understand your country’s foreign policy and stance on the issue. The websites for your country’s permanent mission to the United Nations or foreign ministry are good sources of information of this nature.
Familiarize yourself with your country’s actions at the United Nations by examining its past statements and voting history in various UN bodies. Good places to start are UN Member States on the Record, which keeps transcripts of all statements made by UN member states, and the UN Digital Library, which keeps voting records for all UN resolutions. resolutions.
Research the history of vetoes at the UN Security Council. The UN maintains a list of vetoes at the UN Security Council; pay close attention to vetoes regarding the issue at hand.
Familiarize yourself with past international action on the subject. Past treaties, conventions and UN resolutions are important precedents for further action on the issue, and are often cited in Security Council resolutions and presidential statements. The United Nations keeps a comprehensive database of Security Council resolutions, presidential statements, and reports, as well as international treaties and other documents.
Find out whether your country is part of any coalitions or “voting blocs” such as the Group of 77 or the Non-Aligned Movement. These are not binding commitments, but may point to shared interests and policies that can inform your stance in the role-play.
