Saudi Arabia won't show the UN how it plays the game

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/oct/22/saudi-arabia-un-security-council-seat

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Saudi Arabia is trolling the UN. After lobbying for a seat on the security council for a year, the kingdom turned it down once it was offered. "There was much to rejoice," said the Saudi ambassador to the UN after the seat was secured. Hours later however, the Saudi foreign ministry issued a statement saying thanks, but no thanks.

The reasons for the rejection are even more brazen than the scorn of campaigning for a seat and then turning it down – mainly the failure of the security council to secure peace and disarmament in the Middle East. The kingdom apologised and demurred, refusing to take its seat, until the council is "reformed and enabled to carry out its duties".

Irony klaxons sounded all over the world as the Saudis morally looked down their noses at the UN, and its inability to prevent the "expansion of injustices" and "violation of rights".

Unless the security council's standards and performance have dropped sharply in the past year, it's safe to assume that Saudi Arabia was aware of some problems in the region. The Palestinian issue, one that's been live for only about 70 years, is cited as one of the reasons for the sudden volte face. However, it's not worth deconstructing the logic behind the rejection, as none of the reasons given are likely to be genuine. This doesn't seem like a planned cynical bait and switch to call the UN out on its failures, the acceptance and then refusal strongly suggest that higher powers than the foreign ministry pulled the plug.

In a parallel move, Saudi Arabia has now applied for a seat in another UN body, the human rights council, along with Syria, China, Russia, Cuba, Algeria and Vietnam.

Saudi Arabia's foreign policy and self-perception as a political player in the region is erratic. As a country that regards itself as a major influence in the Arab world, its appointment to the security council would have given it the prestige and international profile its rulers feel it deserves. But the reality of being given a high visibility, on-the-record political seat, would have also exposed the other character in the split personality. One that is uncomfortable with conducting its foreign relations in broad daylight, because its agendas are shady, its human rights record abysmal and its internal machinations opaque.

As Madawi Al-Rasheed put it: "Saudi Arabia is putting itself in a corner and increasing its isolation, while entertaining grandiose plans that exceed by far its own capabilities."

By doing this Saudi can continue to tut-tut from the sidelines, without either having to openly challenge the US on issues such as intervention in Syria, or the new rapport with Iran.

The Middle East is no longer a predictable region where Saudi Arabia can comfortably promote its interests, and call on the US to secure the rest. It seems to be rather uncertain of its new role in a restive post Arab spring environment where the US will not intervene in Syria and Iran and Obama are telephone buddies. It is trying to present itself as no longer a docile partner to the west, which it is, and a leader of the new Arab world in its grievances, which it isn't.

But there is also hypocrisy in accusing Saudi Arabia of hypocrisy due to its poor record of human rights. Countries that are far more vocal about their moral duties upon the international stage are not immune to turning a blind eye to their own abuses, and indeed Saudi Arabia's, when it suits. The country is indulged by the very countries it would accuse of moral failure.

The arch irony in all of this is that Saudi is only playing the game as others do, but would prefer to do it in secret. If the security council and the UN is structurally so hamstrung by competing national interests of its main super powers, who all engage in their own moral mask-wearing when it comes to cynical foreign policies, then Saudi is only invoking its right to do the same.

• This piece was commissioned after a suggestion from Leopold1904. If there's a subject you'd like to see covered on Comment is free, please visit our You tell us page

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