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Nations seek to expand security council
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-05-17 09:18

Brazil, Germany, India and Japan circulated a draft resolution Monday that would expand the U.N. Security Council from 15 to 25 members and give the four countries permanent seats along with two African nations.

The draft says the new permanent members should have "the same responsibilities and obligations as the current permanent members" — the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France — which includes veto power over council resolution.

The United Nations headquarters in New York. India, Japan, Germany and Brazil started circulating a draft UN motion calling for the enlargement of the UN Security Council so they can get permanent places on the body, diplomats said. [AFP/File]

But the four countries told a meeting of potential supporters at Germany's U.N. Mission that the question of the veto "should not be a hindrance to Security Council reform."

After 10 years of debate, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told U.N. member states in March that he wants a decision on council expansion before September, when he has invited world leaders to a summit to consider restructuring the United Nations.

But whether Brazil, Germany, India and Japan can get the required two-thirds support from the 191 U.N. member states for their proposal — and avoid a veto by one of the five permanent members — remains to be seen.

There is wide support for expanding the Security Council, whose composition reflects the post-World War II era when the United Nations was created, to represent the world in the 21st century.

The draft resolution circulated Monday says the council should "better reflect contemporary world realities," especially the views and needs of developing countries. It calls for the council to change its working methods "to enhance transparency, inclusiveness and legitimacy" by making open meetings the rule, holding frequent briefings for nonmembers, and consulting regularly with other U.N. bodies.

But the size and membership of an expanded council remains contentious.

Pakistan, Italy, South Korea and other mid-size countries are pushing a rival plan to expand the U.N.'s most powerful body, and several other options are being floated. China has made clear that it wants all member states to agree on an expansion plan and doesn't want to be bound by a timetable.

The council currently has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent members chosen from regions for two-year terms.

The proposal by Brazil, Germany, India and Japan would add six permanent seats — two from Asia, one from Latin America, one from Western Europe, and two from Africa. The four countries are likely candidates, with South Africa, Nigeria and Egypt the top contenders for the two African seats.

The proposal would also add four non-permanent seats — one from Africa, one from Asia, one from Eastern Europe and one from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Brazil, Germany, India and Japan say about 120 countries have expressed support for an expansion of permanent and non-permanent members, from both developed and developing countries.

Backers of the rival expansion proposal by middle powers also claim wide support. Their plan would create a new tier of eight semi-permanent members — two each from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas — who would serve for four years, subject to renewal, plus one non-permanent seat.

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