New Delhi
6 July 2005
The scramble for securing a permanent berth in an expanded United
Nations may have reached its last lap but differences still persist over the quantum and
character of representation.
If the African Union seeks one more non-permanent member from the continent and veto
rights, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has made it known that it is in favour of
forging a consensus rathen than a vote.
Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran says the government remains "optimistic" that the
differences will be sorted out in due course. Initial reports suggested the AU endorsed in
principle the expansion of permanent and non-permanent membeship, he said.
In Astana in Kazakhstan where the SCO concluded its talks on Tuesday, Russia, China
and four central Asian countries opposed fixing any deadline for UN reforms or imposing
a vote on draft proposals including UNSC expansion.
In a seven-page declaration at the end of their summit, the SCO said, "[It] is essential to
follow the broadest possible agreement, rather than try to set a deadline for the UN
reform or to impose voting on the draft proposals on which major differences still exist".
The support of 53-member AU is crucial to India and G-4's proposal for UNSC expansion.
India and the other countries seeking a permanent seat have to secure two-thirds
majority or 128 votes after tabling their resolution in the 191-member General Assembly.
The AU proposes to add six countries (two from Africa) as new permanent UNSC
members and five others (two from Africa) as non-permanent members. The G-4 seeks to
add four countries, one of which would be from Africa.
The G-4 and the AU are also apart on the issue of veto rights to be given to new
permanent UNSC members. The G-4 proposes that veto powers for the new permanent
members be frozen for 15 years but AU insists on it.
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