Group opposed to G4 submits proposal to UN

United Nations,: Supporters of a plan to expand the U.N. Security Council without adding new permanent members submitted their proposal to the United Nations on Thursday.

The group, called Uniting for Consensus, is vehemently opposed to plans by Brazil, Germany, India and Japan, and the African Union to add six new permanent seats to the U.N.'s most powerful body.

Their rival resolutions were introduced in the 191-member General Assembly earlier this month. Uniting for Consensus said it plans to formally introduce its draft on Monday.

In March, Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged General Assembly members to decide on a plan before a September summit of world leaders. He wants them to do it by consensus, but if that's impossible, by a vote.

There is wide support for expanding the Security Council, whose composition reflects the post-World War II era, to better reflect today's global realities. But after 10 years of discussion and debate, the size and membership of an expanded council remain contentious issues.

The council currently has 15 members, 10 elected for two-year terms and five permanent members _ the United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

The Uniting for Consensus proposal would increase the council from 15 to 25 members, but the 10 new members would be non-permanent _ which would mean 20 of the 25 members would be elected by the General Assembly.

Uniting for Consensus said countries could be re-elected indefinitely, but preference should be given to states that contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security.

Supporters include Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Italy, Mexico, Pakistan, Qatar, South Korea, Spain and Turkey.

Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have circulated a draft resolution which would expand the council from 15 to 25 members, including six new permanent seats. The so-called Group of Four have been lobbying for four of those permanent seats, with the other two earmarked for Africa.

They are negotiating with the African Union, which introduced its own resolution earlier this week to expand the council to 26 members, also adding six permanent members with veto power and five non-permanent members.

Any resolution needs the support of two-thirds of the 191 U.N. member states to be adopted.