War and terrorism in the heart of Europe Kindle Edition

In this book, the author writes in the first person about international events that put at risk international peace and security after the collapse of the Soviet Union. It is a participant’s vision of events in which he was involved as a member, and later President of the United Nations Security Council, including the invasion of Kuwait and its sequels, international sanctions on Libya for its terrorist activities, and the bloody Balkan wars during the 90’s and their ever-lingering repercussions today. In relaying his experiences, Arria writes with independence and with no agenda other than his firm commitment to the foundational values and principles of the United Nations Charter. His documented criticism of the five Permanent Members of the Security Council, whom he accuses of systematically violating the Charter, is severe.The informal discussions within the Council are brought to life by Arria, who always understood that beyond representing his country, his duty in the United Nations lied towards the international community. He does not shrink from criticizing the Secretary General’s performance for his persistent and submissive complicity with the special interests of the Permanent Members. His description of such collusion highlights the murky tolerance displayed by the world powers in confronting issues of such seriousness as ethnic cleansing and genocide and their double standards when dealing with individuals responsible for acts of war or international terrorism such as Saddam Hussein, Muamar Kaddafi and Slobodan Milosevic.“As war rages once again in Eastern Europe, Diego Arria's memoir of his time as Venezuelan ambassador to the United Nations (1991–1993) and president of the UN Security Council (March 1992) could scarcely be more timely. His prescient warning about the Srebrenica massacre as well as his introduction of the "Arria formula", allowing informal meetings of UNSC members with witnesses and others, are among the experiences he relates in this book, which I have long looked forward to reading. His characterization of the UNSC as "a room without a view" came back to me as I watched that body fail utterly to contend with the Russian invasion of Ukraine because, absurdly, the Russian permanent representative was chairing the meeting. Nothing could better illustrate Diego Arria's argument that the UN desperately needs reform if it is to perform its intended functions.”NIALL FERGUSON, Milbank Family Senior Fellow, Hoover Institution, Stanford University“This is the first time a testimony such as this reaches us. Seen from inside by one of its non-conformist actors, the United Nations is unmasked, its compromises and its failures revealed. And sometimes, as during the war in Bosnia and the siege of Sarajevo, a man of goodwill, a Don Quixote, a “Picador”, stalls the machine and saves honor. I knew Arria then. I know how many owe him their lives”BERNARD HENRI-LEVY Philoso, Writer and philosopher“The United Nations´ powerful Security Council operates in secrecy, where vision and personality count most. The lack of leadership on the Council this year enabled Ambassador Arria, powered by a mood of moral outrage, to become the Council´s conscience.”STANLEY MEISLER, Los Angeles Times Read more