ID :
209190
Sat, 09/24/2011 - 19:02
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/209190
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Japan, 3 other nations reaffirm solidarity on U.N. reform
NEW YORK, Sept. 23 Kyodo - A group of four countries seeking permanent membership on the U.N. Security Council -- Japan, Germany, India and Brazil -- on Friday reaffirmed their solidarity in proceeding with their initiative to expand both the permanent and nonpermanent categories of council membership.
Foreign ministers of the so-called G-4 issued a joint statement after their meeting in New York on the sidelines of U.N. meetings, reiterating their commitment to continue working together to bring about ''urgently needed reform of the Security Council.''
Expansion of the current 15-member council should be sought ''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,'' the statement said.
The ministers expressed their determination to work in close cooperation with other member states ''in a spirit of flexibility'' when promoting intergovernmental negotiations on the issue, launched in 2009, and to press ahead with ''all the necessary steps to achieve a concrete outcome in the current session of the U.N. General Assembly.''
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told his counterparts at the meeting he had felt frustrated about the slow progress of U.N. reform even before assuming his current post, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
The G-4 gave up on filing a council reform resolution during the previous General Assembly session due apparently to the lack of sufficient support. It would need to obtain a two-thirds majority to be adopted at the 193-member General Assembly.
China has opposed expansion of the council, while another group called Uniting for Consensus is only pressing for the addition of new nonpermanent seat holders.
Foreign ministers of the so-called G-4 issued a joint statement after their meeting in New York on the sidelines of U.N. meetings, reiterating their commitment to continue working together to bring about ''urgently needed reform of the Security Council.''
Expansion of the current 15-member council should be sought ''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,'' the statement said.
The ministers expressed their determination to work in close cooperation with other member states ''in a spirit of flexibility'' when promoting intergovernmental negotiations on the issue, launched in 2009, and to press ahead with ''all the necessary steps to achieve a concrete outcome in the current session of the U.N. General Assembly.''
Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba told his counterparts at the meeting he had felt frustrated about the slow progress of U.N. reform even before assuming his current post, a Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
The G-4 gave up on filing a council reform resolution during the previous General Assembly session due apparently to the lack of sufficient support. It would need to obtain a two-thirds majority to be adopted at the 193-member General Assembly.
China has opposed expansion of the council, while another group called Uniting for Consensus is only pressing for the addition of new nonpermanent seat holders.
