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Plan To Expand UN Security Council Drafted


7 July 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Germany, Japan, Brazil, and India have submitted a draft United Nations General Assembly resolution proposing an expansion of the UN Security Council from the current 15 members to 25.

Japan's mission to the U.N. said the four countries will request that debate on the resolution start as early as next week.

Germany, Japan, Brazil, and India are proposing that they be among six countries to get new permanent -- but not veto-holding -- seats on the Security Council. Their proposal also calls for the establishment of four new rotating non-permanent seats.

To be approved, two-thirds of the 191 UN General Assembly member states must back the proposal.

The proposal has already run into trouble with China, which opposes Japanese membership on the Security Council, and with the United States, which supports adding Japan.

The proposal also does not yet have the backing of the 53-country African Union, which at a summit this week called for African nations to receive two permanent Security Council states.

(AP/Reuters/AFP)
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