Tuesday, July 12 2005 14:42 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: : Pakistan has accused India and other G-4 countries of adopting "unethical" and "selfish" means to garner support for permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council.

As G-4 countries, including Japan, Germany and Brazil, formally introduced the draft resolution for expansion of the 15-member Security Council yesterday (July 11, 2005), Pakistan said "the endeavour by the so-called Group of Four to secure support and endorsement of their position has taken many forms, which if practiced in national elections, would be judged unethical or worse."

"An outcome for Council reforms achieved by such questionable means is unlikely to be sustainable or to strengthen the United Nations," its Ambassador Munir Akram said participating in the debate.

"We should adopt guidelines, within UN reforms process, to prevent use of such means to twist the democratic will of free peoples and nations," he said in a highly caustic address to the General Assembly.

He said it is only through consensus that a new era of "friendly relations among equal and sovereign nations" can be built and called on the Assembly to "step back from brink" and instead of "divisive vote, let's opt for a decisive dialogue and consensus."

Opposing the G-4 resolution and commending the draft produced by Pakistan and Italy-led United For Consensus (UFC) group, Akram to add insult to injury said, "self interest has been portrayed as altruism," adding "the seekers of special privileges and powers masquerade as champions of the weak and disadvantageous."