Global Policy Forum

Expansion of the UN Security Council can only take place if Japan and Germany are admitted as permanent members, the United States said here Tuesday. In a speech to a meeting of a UN General Assembly working group discussing enlargement of the 15-member Council, US ambassador Bill Richardson said that "expansion to 20-21 seats would mean an increase by one-third of its present size."

"Again, permanent seats for Japan and Germany would be a sine qua non. Within those parameters, we are willing to be flexible." Richardson made it clear that the United States would oppose "any expansion that would involve only new non-permanent members." He also ruled out any dilution of the veto power of the current five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The Security Council also has 10 rotating non-permanent members.

On Monday, at the outset of a two-week session of the reform group, UN General Assembly president Razali Ismail said it was time "to begin another phase in our deliberations, with the aim of reaching a conclusion to our work" this year. According to diplomats, the latest proposals outlined at Monday's closed-door session are for an increase in the number of both permanent and non-permanent Council members. But specific countries would not be immediately identified in a possible draft resolution which could be put to the UN General Assembly in the coming months.

Razali stressed that he would "not be party to any proposal that does not benefit an overwhelming, broad-based and representative majority of members, especially the small developing countries." Richardson expressed understanding of "the desire of many nations" to expand Council membership. "We can agree, provided this expansion does not make Council decision-making unwieldy," he said.

Germany and Japan have in recent years stepped up a campaign to join the UN Security Council as permanent members. Among the main developing countries mentioned as possible candidates are Argentina, Brazil and Mexico for Latin America, Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa.