FM: G4 plan not to get wide support
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-08-07 09:09

China supports the African Union (AU) to safeguard solidarity and common interests on reforms of the UN Security Council, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao in Beijing Saturday.

At the extraordinary summit of the African heads of state in Ethiopia, African leaders announced on Thursday evening to reject a proposal from Brazil, Germany, Japan and India, which is known as the Group of Four (G4), on the expansion of the United Nations Security Council.

When asked to comment on the outcome of the AU summit, Liu said it proves again that the G4 plan would not get wide support.

The G4 plan calls for 10 new members, made up of six permanent members without veto powers -- four for themselves and two for Africa -- and another four seats rotating for two-year terms.

"The G4 plan is different from many countries' stances," Liu said, noting that the G4's forcible impulse of such plan has seriously affected the overall process of the UN reform and the preparation works of the summit to mark the 60th anniversary of the foundation of the United Nations.

Liu said member states of the United Nations are dissatisfied with and opposed to the G4 plan.

The G4 has failed to get support from the 53-nation AU. The AU leaders called on the council to be enlarged to 26 seats, with six new permanent veto-wielding seats of which two will be reserved for Africa and five new non-permanent seats of which two would also be for Africa.

China supports the Security Council reform, and holds that priority should be given to increase representativeness of developing countries and the small and medium sized countries, especially the African countries, Liu said.

All parties should, in line with the principles of the democratization of international relations, make in-depth consultation to set down the reform plan, and the plan should be acceptable to all parties, Liu said.

The council is currently composed of five veto-wielding permanent members -- China, Britain, France, the US and Russia -- and 10 rotating elected members with a two-year term.

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