Open to new ideas on U.N. reform: G4

In a bid to get the U.N. reform process moving, India and other G4 nations have said they are open to innovative ideas and willing to not exercise veto as permanent members of a reformed Security Council until a decision on it has been taken.

In a joint statement delivered by India’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. Syed Akbaruddin at an inter-governmental negotiations meeting on Tuesday, the G4 nations — India, Brazil, Germany and Japan — emphasised that an overwhelming majority of the U.N. member-states supported the expansion of both permanent and non-permanent membership in a reformed Security Council.

Mr. Akbaruddin said the question of veto had been addressed by many from differing perspectives but the G4 approach was that the problem was not one of quantity (of extending it immediately to new permanent members) but of quality — of introducing restrictions.

“Our position is imbued with this spirit. While the new permanent members would as a principle have the same responsibilities and obligations as [the] current permanent members, they shall not exercise the veto until a decision on the matter has been taken during a review,” the G4 statement said.

Mr. Akbaruddin, on behalf of the G4, said the group was open to “innovative” and differing ideas compiled in a composite text to achieve U.N. reform.