Monday, July 11 2005 12:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: As the draft resolution of G4 countries on UN reform is formally introduced today (July 11, 2005), India has expressed guarded optimism that the declaration proposing increase of permanent membership of the Security Council would get the required two-thirds majority in the 191-member General Assembly.

"We are looking at it in a very realistic and balanced way. At the same time, I am cautioning against any premature euphoria. You can not rule out any last minute hitch and the status quo is maintained," External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh told.

"I am only practicing sagacious diplomacy. Diplomacy provides hope not salvation. But it will be a great pity if the UN structure put together in 1945 is not reformed in 2005 and human kind will not forgive us," he said yesterday.

Singh was here to attend the G4 Foreign Ministers conference held at Embassy of Brazil in London.

The G4 London Declaration adopted here on Friday would be formally introduced in the UN General Assembly by Brazil today.

The meeting here was attended by Foreign Ministers of Brazil, Germany, Japan and India. The Foreign Minister of Ghana Nana, Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,was also present in his capacity as a member of the core group of the follow-up mechanism on the reform of the UN, established by the African Union.

Natwar Singh said the differences between G4 and the African group with regard to the question of veto power and total number of expanded Security Council would be ironed out in the next two to three days.