UN adopts document for Security Council reforms

There was no voting on the decision to continue text-based UNSC reforms in the 70th session and it was adopted by consensus.

Members of the United Nations Security Council address a resolution to investigate the use of chemical weapons in Syria during a meeting at the U.N. headquarters in New York August 7, 2015. The U.N. Security Council on Friday unanimously passed a resolution asking U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon and the head of the global anti-chemical weapons watchdog to prepare a plan to set up an inquiry to identify those behind chemical weapons attacks in Syria's civil war. REUTERS/Lucas Jackson

In a significant development, the UN General Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a negotiating text for the Security Council reforms, setting the stage for talks on the long pending process at the 70th session of the global body which commences on Tuesday.

U.N. General Assembly President Sam Kutesa, who convened a plenary meeting to take action on the draft decision on the “Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and related matters”, also circulated letters containing the positions of key countries including Russia, the U.S. and China which refused to contribute to the negotiating text.

There was no voting on the decision to continue text-based UNSC reforms in the 70th session of the General Assembly and it was adopted by consensus.