United Nations: In a proposal to the President of the United Nations General Assembly to jump start negotiations on expansion of the Security Council, Germany and Cyprus have proposed to increase its membership from 15 to 21.

The proposal, diplomats say, pitches for two members each from Asian and African Groups and one each from Latin America the Caribbean, Western Europe and Eastern Europe.

However, it has left open the question whether the new members should be permanent, semi-permanent or non-permanent. The proposal, which is yet to be released officially, gives various options.

Besides, the President has also received communications from the African Group and Italy but the contents were not immediately available.

A draft text on the expansion of the UN Security Council was rejected by most of the 50 countries who participated in discussing the proposals earlier this week, with India saying the paper did not have an "unambiguous" formulation for expansion of the group s permanent membership.

India, Japan, Germany and Brazil, who from Group of four (G-4) are strong contender for the permanent seats. Their proposal would give two permanent seats each to Asian and Africa and one each to Latin American and the Caribbean States and Western European and other States.

Besides, they want four non permanent members be added one each from Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe and Latin America and the Caribbean.

The African group generally agrees with G-4 proposal but wants one more non-permanent seat, but has so far been unable to decide on the countries to be proposed for permanent membership as there are several claimants.

Source : PTI