New Delhi
6 January 2006
The G-4 countries including India on Thursday repeat Thursday "re-
tabled" a draft resolution in the United Nations General Assembly seeking permanent
seats in an expanded Security Council.
The resolution, earlier tabled in the previous session of the UN General Assembly which
expired in August last year for want of action, was re-tabled for consideration in the
ongoing 60th session.
"The objective of re-tabling the G-4 resolution is to instil positive dynamics into the
process of Security Council reform, which had been emphasised in the Outcome
Document of the World Summit held in September 2005," sources said.
The sources said the G-4 was watching the outcome of the January 23-24 summit of the
53-member African Union on the issue of UN reforms. "It remains to be seen what the
next course of action of the AU will be," they said.
They explained that the G-4 was with the AU and that the G-4 resolution should in no way
be seen as "competing" with that of the AU. A resolution, if put to vote, should be
supported by at least 128 countries.
The resolution of the G-4, which also includes Brazil, Germany and Japan, seeks
expansion of the UN Security Council from 15 members to 25. This includes addition of
six permanent members.
Significantly, Japan was not present when the resolution was moved although it had
participated in preceding discussions and endorsed its re-tabling, the sources said
adding that Tokyo has said it remained committed to the G-4.
The AU resolution is broadly similar to that of the G-4. The difference between the two is
on number of members to be added in the Security Council and veto power. The AU
resolution wants expansion with addition of 11 members and insists on grant of veto
power immediately.
The G-4 resolution, while pressing for equal rights for new and old permanent members,
does not insist on immediate grant of veto to newcomers, saying that it could be
discussed over the next 15 years.
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