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China would vote against G-4 reform
China reiterated on Tuesday that it would vote against any proposals for Security Council expansion that could split the United Nations (UN) membership. "China is opposed to artificially setting a time limit for the reform of the Security Council," Chinese UN Ambassador Wang Guangya told a closed-door General Assembly debate. "If proposals over which there exist major differences are forcibly put to a vote, China will resolutely vote against them." The 191-nation assembly on Tuesday started a two-day closed-door debate on the UN reforms. Adoption of a resolution in the assembly requires a two-thirds majority. China, one of the five existing permanent members of the Security Council, cannot exercise veto power in the assembly. Wang said enlargement of the Security Council is only one part of the UN reforms and recent debate on the council's enlargement has already affected and impaired discussion on other major issues. "Preparations for the September (UN) Summit, especially discussion on how to concentrate efforts to address the question of development, have been greatly hijacked," he pointed out. "Forcible voting on an immature proposal is bound to lead to divisions among member states and weaken the authority and role of the UN. To the absolute majority of member states, it will be a huge loss of an irredeemable nature," he warned. Germany, Japan, Brazil and India, known as the Group of Four, circulated a draft resolution calling for a further 10 seats to be added to the Security Council -- six permanent seats and four non-permanent ones. The proposal has raised strong objections from Italy, Pakistan, the Republic of Korea and many other nations. The G-4 has not yet presented the draft to the assembly. Wang said China supports council reform and stressed the need for reform to include both an increase in membership and an improvement of working methods to enhance the council's authority and efficiency. "The enlargement of the Security Council must give priority to increasing the representation and participation of developing countries, especially African nations," he said. "Any expansion formula must make sure that small and medium countries have more opportunities to take turns to participate in the work of the Security Council, uphold the principle of geographical balance and ensure the representation of different cultures and civilizations." According to the ambassador, council reform should follow the gradual process of democratic discussion with a view to reaching consensus and should not only represent the concerns of a few countries. "Only a decision arrived at through consensus can obtain the wide trust, and support need to enhance the representation and authority of the Security Council," Wang said.
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