Key attends IS summit, will oppose veto powers in UN speech

In the world’s busiest week for diplomatic activity, Prime Minister John Key has attended President Obama’s summit on the Islamic State in New York and will address to the UN General Assembly on Friday.

He says he will use the speech to attack the veto powers of the Security Council's five permanent members. New Zealand is serving a two-year term on the council as an elected member.

Mr Key told Paul Henry on TV3, New Zealand and 50 other countries oppose use of the veto where human rights are involved.

“The ultimate removal of the veto isn’t going to happen. It's been a long-standing New Zealand view that the veto shouldn’t be able to be used when it comes to issues of atrocity and human rights,"
he said.

Russia has used the veto to stall a Security Council resolution for a criminal inquiry into the shooting down in Ukraine of Malaysian airliner Flight MH17.

Mr Key says the Security Council isn’t a failed institution but it is failing as the only body that can deal with issues such as the conflict in Syria because of the veto.

Mr Key revealed New Zealand will be represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully at a Russian summit on Syria hosted by its foreign minister.

Earlier, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the UN General Assembly and urged all countries, including the US, to join a grand coalition against Islamic State in co-operation with Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

Mr Key says Russia is defending a long-standing relationship with Assad.

“Our view is that Assad has to go but not immediately.”

On Iraq, he says while New Zealand has no plans to send more troops in response to a call from President Obama, this isn't being ruled out if it meant making it safer for the existing deployment.

Mr Key says the security situation in Iraq is worsening.

Meanwhile, he has also had formal talks with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama in New York, the first such discussions since the Fiji election last year and the original military-led coup in 2006 that led to a breach in diplomatic relations.

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