G-4 countries counter delays, push for seats

But the four hopefuls known as the G-4—Germany, Japan, India and Brazil—said US resistance would not deter them. ‘‘Possibly it may hasten the vote,’’ said Indian Ambassador Nirupam Sen. ‘‘I don’t think it will delay it.’’ ‘‘The United States is an important member, but it is only one member,’’ said Kenzo Oshima, Japan’s ambassador to the United Nations.

On Wednesday, the group circulated a new draft of a resolution to change the UN charter to allow six more countries to become permanent members of the Security Council—including two unnamed African countries—and to include 10 more rotating seats. The council now has five veto-holding permanent members and 10 members elected to two-year terms.

The new draft does not spell out whether the new members would have veto power—which the five permanent Security Council members oppose—but implies that they would forgo a veto for at least 15 years.

Secretary-General Kofi Annan has recommended restructuring the Security Council to make the UN more reflective of new ‘‘political realities’’ and better able to meet new security threats. He said he prefers all members to agree but that if arguments threatened to delay action, the matter should be put to a vote so that world leaders can endorse it in September.

Two-thirds of the 191-member General Assembly must first vote to amend the UN charter to expand the Security Council, a public vote tentatively scheduled for the end of the month. Then, they must select the six new permanent members, ideally in July before ambassadors leave for the August holiday. Then two-thirds of the member nations—and all five permanent members—must ratify the amendment for it to take effect. Even if the General Assembly overwhelmingly approves the change, the United States or China could kill the amendment simply by refusing to approve it.

That threat hangs over the intense lobbying that is preceding the expected June vote. China has made it known that it does not want to see its regional rival, Japan, gain a stronger diplomatic voice. Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya has called the G-4’s push for a vote ‘‘divisive’’ and ‘‘dangerous’’ and said China would do everything to block it. Russia sides with China and wants to maintain the council as is, fearing a diminution of its power. The US has endorsed Japan for a permanent seat, as it gives more money to the UN than Britain, France, Russia and China combined.

Rice, after meeting with German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer, declined to support Germany’s bid, but said the United States has made ‘‘no determination or decision’’ about it. ‘‘We are not against any proposal,’’ she said in Washington. ‘‘What we are for is to look at the various ideas that are on the table.’’ —LAT-WP