"The reform process in the United Nations remains unresolved, because of the delicate imbalance of East and West and entanglement of the USA vs. Russo-Chinese alliance." Examine and critically evaluate the East-West policy confrontations in this regard.

Shows how the P5 veto and the Charter's amendment rule keep UN reform stuck, and which limited reforms are moving; it does not analyse East-West or US versus Russia-China rivalry directly.

• Under Article 108, any Charter amendment needs ratification by all five permanent members, so abolition of the veto can itself be vetoed.
• Vetoes have blocked Council action on Syria, Ukraine and Gaza, showing how great-power divisions paralyse the Council in atrocity situations.
• Workarounds are advancing instead: the France-Mexico veto-restraint declaration had 128 backers including the UK in 2026, and UNGA resolution 76/262 (2022) makes the Assembly meet within 10 working days after a veto.

Use the enemy state clauses row to show how great-power rivalry and the P5 veto over amendment freeze even widely agreed UN reform.

• On 22 September 2026 Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi asked the UN General Assembly to delete the 'enemy state' clauses (Articles 53, 77, 107); China called them a vital institutional arrangement.
• Resolution 50/52 (1995) declared the clauses obsolete and the 2005 World Summit called for deletion, yet they survive because Article 108 requires ratification by all five permanent members.
• Russia's envoy Vassily Nebenzia also criticised Japan's military build-up in May 2026; analysts note reopening the Charter could revive wider Security Council reform fights.

The Iran referral shows Western powers and Russia-China split over enforcement, and the veto making Council action unlikely, a live case of East-West deadlock in the UN.

• The IAEA Board reported Iran to the UNSC in September 2026 by 23 votes to 3, with 8 abstentions; Russia and China voted against.
• Under Article 27 of the UN Charter, substantive decisions need nine votes including the concurring votes of all five permanent members, so action is considered unlikely.
• Argue that this veto deadlock strengthens India's case for Security Council reform.

The space weapons row shows the U.S. versus Russia-China divide stalling multilateral rule-making, a parallel to the East-West deadlock behind stalled UN reform.

• On 14 September 2026 the U.S. said it has 'on-orbit space control weapons'; China and Russia called for complete demilitarisation of outer space and an end to U.S. military expansion.
• PAROS has been on the UN General Assembly agenda since 1981 without a binding treaty; the U.S. opposed the 2014 'no first placement' resolution.
• A China-Russia draft treaty banning space weapons leaves out Earth-to-space systems, while the U.S.-led Artemis Accords do not restrict weapons.