NEW DELHI: The chances of the G-4 nations and the African Union arriving at a resolution of their differences on the expansion of the United Nations Security Council have improved significantly after Nigeria, the current AU chair, signalled its intention to negotiate with other nations.

Nigerian Foreign Minister Oluyemi Adeniji on Thursday publicly contradicted the remarks made by Algerian Ambassador to the U.N., Abdallah Bali, that Africa would not compromise on its "position" adopted at the July 3-5 summit meeting in Sirte, Libya.

"I do not believe that the Algerian permanent representative could have spoken on behalf of Africa ... he made a mistake," Mr. Adeniji was quoted as saying by a news agency. "The African group has to listen to others ... we have to take into account their concerns and observations and to see how best to realise our own desire for African representation."

His comments are important given the fact that a key meeting between African nations and the Foreign Ministers of the G-4 nations — India, Brazil, Japan and Germany — will take place in New York on Sunday, where a possible compromise between the G-4 and the AU will be discussed.

While the G-4 resolution speaks in terms of adding six permanent (with no immediate veto prospects) and four non-permanent seats, the July 11 AU draft resolution speaks in terms of adding six permanent and five non-permanent members. Apart from two permanent seats for itself, Africa wants two non-permanent berths as opposed to the G-4 proposal for one non-permanent seat.

According to an External Affairs Ministry official, a creative compromise was possible. Apart from the additional non-permanent seat, the AU wanted full veto powers as well, but this is something that the vast body of the United Nations does not agree with as demonstrated during the ongoing discussion on the G-4 draft.

The official pointed out that Algeria had no authority to speak on behalf of the AU — given the fact that the Sirte summit had mandated Nigeria (as chairperson), Ghana, and the AU Commission Chairman, Alfred Oumar Konare, to form a "core group" along with 12 other African nations to form part of the "follow-up" mechanism.

Interestingly, the AU decision in Sirte speaks of "flexibility," a position that is reflected by the Nigerian Foreign Minister's statement on Thursday. In fact, it also makes a reference to the possibility of an "extraordinary" summit meeting of the African Union if needed.

Previously, Indian officials have spoken of the fluidity of the situation and said that G-4 Ministers would review the current levels of support and then decide when their draft resolution was to be put to vote. The draft resolution requires 128 votes in a 191-member General Assembly.

India and other G-4 member states are aware that the United States has called for a vote against their resolution, as has China. Both these countries have been active in lobbying support against the G-4 position, including with African nations at the AU summit in Libya.

Officials here believe that the AU had, so far, taken a united position on the issue of Security Council position and come out with a position to negotiate constructively with others like the G-4. They also believe the Union is seriously interested in reform and, hence, open to negotiations. The AU draft also points out that Africa is the only continent without a single permanent seat on the Security Council.

G-4 efforts have also received support from the 15-member Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which held its heads of government meeting in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia, from July 3-6. A communiqué issued after the meeting said that a significant number of member states were inclined to support the G-4 resolution continent upon: strong support for their development agenda as small, vulnerable states; — inclusion of the proposals of the African Union in relation to expansion of the Security Council; acceptance of the principle of rotation of membership on the Security Council.

"In this context, they requested CARICOM Permanent Representatives to the United Nations to work towards arriving at a common CARICOM position on the issue of UN Reform, monitoring developments closely and liaising with their Foreign Ministers," it said.

While the expansion process still has many mine fields to cross given the powerful opposition from key permanent Council members and the "coffee club," the G-4 and the African Union acting together with Caribbean nations still have hopes of reaching the magic number of 128 in the General Assembly. Of course, anyone of the P-5 can end the expansion process if even one of their legislatures does not ratify the vote of the General Assembly.

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