G-4 makes joint bid for UNSC expansion
January 27th, 2012 - 12:08 pm ICT by IANSUnited Nations, Jan 27 (IANS) India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have made a joint bid for the expansion of the UN Security Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership.
Collectively known as G-4, the four countries, each of whom aspires to be a permanent member, made the joint bid at the informal plenary of the intergovernmental negotiations at the UN General Assembly Thursday.
“This Council should be expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, taking into consideration the contributions made by countries to the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as the need for increased representation of developing countries in both categories,” they said in a joint statement.
“On numerous occasions, we have reconfirmed our view that Africa should be represented in the permanent membership in an enlarged Council,” the group reaffirmed saying it was fully supportive of the intergovernmental negotiations.
G-4 said their “straightforward” proposal “focuses on two aspects of Security Council reform, namely expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories and improving the working methods of the Council. Nothing more, nothing less”.
Noting that there had been limited progress on the issue, the group said: “We believe that our proposal can generate the momentum needed to kick-start real negotiations.”
“Some call this ‘piecemeal’ or ‘cherry-picking’. We call it a realistic and results-driven approach. Let us agree on what most Member States agree on and let us then tackle the other issues,” it added.
The G-4 initiative has garnered wide cross-regional support with nearly 80 members having expressed their support in writing, in addition to a substantial number of strong commitments, it noted seeking “real negotiations” on this “all-important matter”.
- Renewed bid for UNSC expansion by India, others (Lead) - Jan 27, 2012
- India, Brazil, Germany, Japan demand UNSC change - Feb 12, 2011
- G4 countries push for Security Council expansion - Feb 12, 2011
- G-4 nations to keep up efforts for UNSC expansion - Sep 24, 2011
- India, Brazil, Germany, Japan seek UNSC expansion - Sep 25, 2010
- India says UN reform delay 'at own peril' - Apr 11, 2012
- India backs modest expansion of UN Security Council - Feb 21, 2011
- India seeks convergence on UNSC expansion - Nov 09, 2011
- India, G4 partners push hard for Security Council expansion (Lead) - Feb 12, 2011
- India, Brazil, South Africa push for Security Council expansion - Oct 18, 2011
- Negotiations on UN reforms to begin in March - Feb 20, 2011
- Majority of nations are for UNSC reforms: Krishna - Sep 29, 2010
- India seeks UNSC expansion, suggests key elements of reform - Dec 15, 2010
- India to work closely with Malaysia: Krishna - May 03, 2011
- India confident of 150 votes in Security Council bid - Aug 16, 2010
Tags: brazil, cherry picking, commitments, developing countries, India, initiative, intergovernmental negotiations, international peace, member states, momentum, occasions, piecemeal, proposal, regional support, security council reform, substantial number, taking into consideration, un general assembly, un security council, united nations