By Caribbean News Global contributor
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad – Trinidad and Tobago, Naparima member of parliament (MP) Rodney Charles, has advised prime minister Dr Keith Rowley and national security minister Stuart Young that, the United Nations is not in the business of granting recognition to governments including Nicolás Maduro’s regime and they should not “willy nilly” give the UN powers that it does not possess.
“Rowley and Young should both refrain from publicly demonstrating to the world that they do not understand the subtleties of multilateral diplomacy and the roles of global institutions,” said Charles.
Both Dr Rowley and national security minister Young have repeatedly argued that Trinidad and Tobago recognition of the Maduro regime is based on the fact that it has been accorded recognition by the UN, but according to the Naparima member of parliament, Charles, – “the UN does not grant recognition”.
On Friday, May 8, 2020, Dr Rowley advised: “My government supports the UN position to recognize the Maduro regime as the legitimate government of Venezuela”.
Minister Young repeated this misinformation in the Senate. He said: “CARICOM leaders, including Trinidad and Tobago prime minister, took this position at the United Nations. The UN secretary-general told CARICOM and others that the UN recognizes (Venezuela’s) Maduro government.”
Member of parliament, Charles, has since inquired whether this is another instance of minister Young’s inability to recall precisely what was discussed at meetings which he attended; given the public is aware of the fact that minister Young’s recollection of a meeting differed from that of US ambassador Joseph N. Mondello.
Charles, a former UN ambassador, is questioning whether secretary-general Antonio Guterres said the words attributed to him by minister Young “must know that the UN is not in the business of recognizing nations.”
The United Nations website states: “The United Nations is neither a State nor a government, and therefore does not possess any authority to recognize either a State or a government. The recognition of a new State or government is an act that only other States and governments may grant or withhold.”
Therefore, the UN merely acknowledges the recognition granted to an administration by other States, and Member States can withhold that recognition as several states have done regarding the Maduro regime.
“This administration and the prime minister in particular is poorly served by the minister of foreign and CARICOM affairs who, by his silence, actions and utterances, continues to lead us more and more into the global wilderness,” said Charles.
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