The G-4 countries makes strong pitch for UNSC reforms

Making a strong pitch for UN Security Council reforms, the G-4 countries -- Brazil, Germany, India and Japan today said they want "nothing more, nothing less" than expansion in the Council's permanent and non-permanent members that gives increased representation to developing nations.

"Brazil, Germany, India and Japan are bound together by a common vision of an enlarged Security Council that better reflects the geopolitical realities of the 21st Century.

"This Council should be expanded in both the permanent and non-permanent categories of membership, taking into consideration the contributions made by countries to the maintenance of international peace and security, as well as the need for increased representation of developing  countries in both categories," the nations said in a joint introductory statement at the informal plenary of the intergovernmental negotiations on UNSC reforms.

The countries also put their weight behind Africa saying the developing nation should be represented in the permanent membership in an enlarged Council.

The grouping's presentation at the talks on UNSC reforms, that began here today, focus on a "short resolution", an initiative that was launched in March last year and which aims at providing renewed impetus towards "real and substantive negotiations."

"Our proposal is straightforward. It focuses on two aspects of Security Council reform, on which, according to our outreach, large majorities exist among Member States: firstly, that expansion in membership should be in both categories, permanent and non-permanent, and secondly, that the working methods of the Council should be improved. Nothing more, nothing less."

The G4 said their initiative has garnered wide "cross-regional" support from member states and so far nearly 80 nations have expressed their support in writing, in addition to a substantial number of strong commitments.