Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper has confirmed the UK will not be signing up to US President Donald Trump’s new “Board of Peace” at the World Economic Forum in Davos, citing concerns about the potential involvement of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Cooper said the UK had been invited to join the board but “won’t be one of the signatories today”.
The board, unveiled by the White House as an international body aimed at resolving global conflicts, would grant President Trump significant decision-making powers as chairman.
Ms Cooper described the proposed charter as a “legal treaty” that raises broader questions than its stated focus on the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
The White House’s charter does not mention the Palestinian territories, leading critics to argue the board appears designed to replace some functions of the United Nations.
So far, several traditional US allies have not committed to joining the initiative. Importantly, none of the other permanent members of the UN Security Council – China, France, Russia and the UK – have signed on.
The UN Security Council has served as the primary international forum for diplomacy and conflict resolution since the end of World War II.
At the signing ceremony in Davos, President Trump insisted the board was not intended to replace the UN, and said it could help achieve an “everlasting” peace in the Middle East.
He described the board as potentially “one of the most consequential bodies ever created”, and said the plan would involve the demilitarisation and reconstruction of Gaza.
“We’re committed to ensuring Gaza is demilitarised, properly governed and beautifully rebuilt,” he said.
Trump added that once the board is fully formed, “we can do pretty much whatever we want to do”, but insisted this would occur “in conjunction with the United Nations”.
