UNITED NATIONS – Pakistan has called for “flexibility and compromise” inthe long-running negotiations to reform the UN Security Council as progressis held up by the campaign for permanent seats on the 15-member body byIndia, Brazil, Germany and Japan, known as the Group of four.
Speaking in the resumed session of Inter-governmental Negotiations (IGN)aimed at making the Security Council more effective, Aamir Khan, Charge d’Affaires of Pakistan, said the choice before member states remains“compelling and stark – between the commitment to uphold the fundamentalprinciples of the UN Charter based on the sovereign equality of states andthe self-centered endeavour of a ‘small group of nations’ for advantage andprivilege that betrays this commitment.”
On the other hand, he said Pakistan and the Uniting for Consensus (UfC)group, which oppose additional permanent members, refuse to “betray” thefundamental purpose of Security Council reform; to end up with an outcomethat perpetuates rather than addresses the inherent asymmetry anddysfunctionality within the Council centered on permanent seats and theveto.”
“This tension between self-interest and common interest is at the root ofthe so called ‘impasse’ on Security Council reform,” Amir Khan added.
Full-scale negotiations to reform the Security Council began in the GeneralAssembly in February 2009 on five key areas — the categories of membership,the question of veto, regional representation, size of an enlarged SecurityCouncil, and working methods of the council and its relationship with theGeneral Assembly.
Despite a general agreement on enlarging the Council, as part of the UNreform process, member states remain sharply divided over the details.
The Group of Four has shown no flexibility in their push to expand theSecurity Council by 10 seats, with 6 additional permanent and fournon-permanent members.
On the other hand, the Italy/Pakistan-led Uniting for Consensus (UfC) groupopposes any additional permanent members, saying that such a move will notmake the Security Council more effective and also undermine the fundamentalprinciple of democracy that is based on periodic elections.
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The Security Council is currently composed of five permanent members —Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States — and 10 non-permanentmembers
In his remarks, the Aamir Khan, the Pakistani delegate, urged all sides tocontinue discussions within the IGN to address their differences within theframework of the five clusters which encapsulates the main issues.
He said emphasised that arbitrary timelines will not accelerate thisendeavour. “What we all our committed to seek is the widest possiblepolitical acceptance by all member states,” he said, adding, “Divisivesteps could derail the whole process of Security Council reform. We couldend up perpetuating the status-quo.”
The UfC believes that it’s regional-based proposal could also accommodatethe aspirations of Africa and of sub-regional groups such as the OIC, theArab Group, the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Small IslandDeveloping States (SIDS). “Their aspirations and interests are verydifferent from those of the self-selected candidates for permanentmembership.”
“If we are to achieve an outcome that can accommodate the interests of allmember states- small, medium and large- all sides must display a spirit offlexibility and compromise,” Aamir Khan said. “Instead of divisive action,we should opt for decisive dialogue.”
