Saturday, June 11 2005 13:08 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: India and three other countries seeking permanent seats in United Nations Security Council (UNSC) have indicated that they may postpone a vote on their framework resolution in the General Assembly till the conclusion of the African Union Summit in Libya on July 5 if Africans so desire.

The resolution by the Group of Four or G-4 comprising India, Japan, Germany and Brazil calls for adding six permanent members and four non-permanent members on a regional basis to the 15-member Council to increase its strength to 25 and make the powerful body more effective and more legitimate.

Briefing reporters after a meeting with Secretary General Kofi Annan last evening (Jun 10, 2005), UN ambassadors from India and Germany said the Africans are more than friends: they are partners in the United Nations reforms process.

Besides, they stand to gain most from the expansion as the framework resolution proposes two permanent and one non-permanent seat for them, Nirupam Sen and Gunter Pleuger said.

Sen said that so far he has seen nothing that suggest that they want postponement, but the G-4 would take into account their views in case such a demand is made.

"A few days this way or that way do not matter," Sen and Pleuger said, replying to a question.

They said a little delay in a vote on the framework resolution would not affect their overall schedule to get it adopted by the Assembly much before the mid-September Summit of world leaders at the United Nations.

Diplomats said the support of the African Union is very important for G-4 as it has 53 votes, which translates into a fairly substantial bloc in 128 votes needed in 191-member Assembly.

But according to UN diplomats, a crucial point they would need to consider is the fact that more than a dozen countries are likely to lose their voting right in Assembly if they do not pay by June 31 their dues to the world body for two years.

Between 11 to 17 countries could lose vote but the exact figure would be known only after the deadline, they say.

Since G-4 are counting on most of those votes, they would need to convince the Africans to allow a vote on the first resolution before the end of June, they said.

Sen and Pleuger said that they had explained to Annan the changes made by them in the resolution and rationale behind them.

They also discussed other aspects of the reforms such as making more transparent the working of Security Council, something the draft framework resolution also emphasises.

The second of the three resolutions would seek vote on specific states for permanent membership and third would call for amendment of the Charter to give effect to the changes.

The G-4 plans to complete the process before end of July, as August is a month when most diplomats go on vacation ahead of the three-month annual session of the 191- member Assembly, Plaguer said.

Sen said Annan fully backed their position that if there is no consensus, vote could be taken and that the process should be completed before the summit.

Replying to a question, the two ambassadors asserted that G-4 have two-thirds votes needed to get their resolutions though the Assembly but would like to get support of maximum possible number of member States.

They are continuing their discussions to achieve that aim.

Asked what was the minimum they were looking at, they said two-thirds, pointing out the major decisions at the United Nations have been taken by hairbreadth margins.

That is the democratic process followed by parliaments and other elected bodies all over the world.

But once the decision has been taken irrespective of the margin, it would be in the interest of the minority to accept the situation, Sen said.

The G-4, the two ambassadors said, are trying to achieve the "broadest possible" agreement and are continuing their discussions at various levels, including capitals.

They replied in the negative when asked if Annan had advised them to postpone the exercise to give more time for discussions.