Global Policy Forum

By Edith M. Lederer

Associated Press
July 26, 2005

Italy's U.N. ambassador accused Brazil, Germany, India and Japan on Tuesday of using aid money to try to buy seats on the U.N. Security Council and demanded an investigation of the "improper and unethical behavior."

Marcello Spatafora warned that using development aid to win support from poor countries was tantamount to blackmail. He said it could spark a scandal that would be "much more serious and destabilizing" than the controversy surrounding the U.N. oil-for-food program in Iraq."Here it is not a question of pocketing money," he said. "It is a question of ethics and moral values."

Spatafora called for a formal investigation. The Italian's accusations — and undiplomatic language — were a rare public attack by one European Union member against another.

"I think this is completely groundless," said Kazuo Sunaga, the head of economic affairs in Japan's U.N. Mission, saying Japan's development assistance was based on the plans and strategy of the developing countries. Calls to the Germany, Brazilian and Indian missions were not immediately returned.

The Italian envoy unleashed his attack in a speech to the General Assembly in support of a rival plan to expand the U.N. Security Council, an indication of the deep divisions and intense debate over council reform. After 10 years of seemingly endless debate, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told U.N. member states in March that he wanted a decision on Security Council expansion before a summit of world leaders in September.

There is widespread support for enlarging the current 15-member council to reflect the world today rather than global power after World War II when the United Nations was formed. Previous attempts have failed because of national and regional rivalries, and with time running short, and three rival draft resolutions now on the table, the rhetoric and allegations have escalated.

Brazil, Germany, India and Japan — the so-called Group of Four — want to expand the council to 25 members, adding four non-permanent seats and six permanent seats which they hope would go to them and two African nations. The African Union has proposed expanding the council to 26 members — adding six permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats. A third group, which Italy backs, wants to add 10 non-permanent seats.

Spatafora claimed that other U.N. members have known about the pressures being exerted by the Group of Four. He said one of the four had decided to cancel a $460,000 project to help children and would not start another project it had agreed to. He said this was "the latest example, in a long row."

FAIR USE NOTICE: This page contains copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. Global Policy Forum distributes this material without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes. We believe this constitutes a fair use of any such copyrighted material as provided for in 17 U.S.C íŸ 107. If you wish to use copyrighted material from this site for purposes of your own that go beyond fair use, you must obtain permission from the copyright owner.