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Poland's Komorowski wants U.N to block Russian influence

He spoke in warsaw before leaving to attend the U.N. summit.

By Ed Adamczyk
Bronislaw Komorowski, president of Poland UPI/Monika Graff
Bronislaw Komorowski, president of Poland UPI/Monika Graff | License Photo

WARSAW, Poland, Sept. 18 (UPI) -- Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski called for a rule change Thursday in the United Nations Security Council to override Russian vetoes.

Kormorowski has been frustrated by the United Nations' weak response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and involvement in eastern Ukraine, prompted largely by the capability of Russia, a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, to override any proposal with its veto.

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"My main message will be that perhaps the United Nations should be reformed to make the institution capable of addressing the threats that really exist today. I think blocking the Security Council on Ukraine is a token, a symptom, of the general weakness of the U.N.," he said in Warsaw before his visit to New York next week.

Removing Russia's ability to veto any U.N. action would require a two-thirds vote of the U.N. General Assembly as well as a two-thirds ratification in every member country's legislatures, including that of Russia, which means Russia could veto removal of its own veto.

Komorowski's comments, though, reflect Poland's growing economic and political stature. With a growing economy, it has become a strong voice in NATO and in the European Union, visibly demonstrated by the election last month of Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk as President of the European Council.

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Referring to Tusk, Komorowski said, "Next to his personal merits, which are very significant, this is a reflection of the attitude of the Western world to Poland and to Polish achievements. It is a source of great satisfaction that our voice is better heard and the Polish prominence in European politics is growing."

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