The Hindu : International / India & World : Downer sees scope for Security Council reforms

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Thursday, Jun 09, 2005

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International - India & World

Downer sees scope for Security Council reforms

Amit Baruah

"Good chance of General Assembly backing G-4 resolution"

— Photo: S. Subramanium

Extending support: Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer (left) with External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh in New Delhi on Wednesday.

NEW DELHI: Visiting Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Wednesday that there was a "reasonable chance" the United Nations' Security Council would be expanded. Addressing a news conference after talks with External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, Mr. Downer said there was "every chance" that a draft resolution put forward by the G-4 grouping would get the required two-thirds majority necessary for approval by the General Assembly.

Mr. Downer said Mr. Singh had raised the issue of Security Council reforms with him and reaffirmed that Australia backed India, along with Japan and Brazil, for a permanent seat on the Council. India, Japan, Brazil and Germany comprise the G-4 that is making moves for an expansion of the Council in both the permanent and non-permanent categories.

"Don't give up"

Mr. Downer told newspersons that his advice to India was to push ahead with the reform move and not "give it up." However, he felt that there was need for "some finessing" of the draft resolution that had been circulated by the G-4.

In a related development, senior Indian officials said today that "consensus" could not be the vehicle through which expansion of the Security Council could be achieved.

On the veto issue for additional members, the officials said there was a need for India to be flexible on the issue without giving up the principle of non-discrimination.

Pointing out that there was strong opposition from the group dubbed the "coffee club" to the reform suggestions put forward by the G-4, the officials said India's Chinese friends had also been told that expansion by "consensus" was not possible.

China, which had decided to oppose the G-4 resolution in the General Assembly, has been told by India that even Beijing had entered the Council with a bare two-thirds majority.

Obstacles remain

The officials said "numbers" were the only weapons that developing countries possessed. They stressed that even if the framework resolution of the G-4 made its way through the General Assembly, it would only be a first step as other obstacles remained. Each candidate would then have to get a two-thirds majority in the Assembly and then the issue would go to the Security Council, where it could be vetoed. If it made it past the Security Council, then the expansion would have to be ratified by its five permanent members.

Describing the expansion as an "obstacle course," the officials said a window of opportunity to expand the Council was open. "Even if there is some doubt, we should go ahead," the officials maintained.

Asked what kind of numbers India had been able to muster in its favour, the officials preferred not to give figures, pointing out that it was a "very complex," rapidly changing process. "We are near a number that gives us a sufficient degree of encouragement to move ahead."

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Downer sees scope for Security Council reforms