UN General Assembly
2012

that the General Assembly step in and play a more active role, as it has done on some occasions. That is all the more important as we are confronted by the failure to fulfil the responsibility to protect a civilian population — a principle adopted in this Hall at the highest political level. The stalemate in the Council demonstrates that we must look at the way in which the veto power is and can be used. In that respect, there must be accountability vis-à-vis the membership of the Organization as a whole. After all, the Council carries out its work on behalf of us all. We call upon the permanent members to acknowledge that the United Nations Charter does not grant them the right to the veto without any strings attached. We ask them to acknowledge that the Council must at all times act in accordance with the purposes and principles of the United Nations. We therefore request that they pledge not to use the veto to block Council action aimed at preventing or ending genocide,