'Stop bickering over UNSC'
2005-07-03 19:51
Sirte, Libya - African leaders have agreed not to nominate now which two countries will represent the continent in the reformed United Nations security council.
Instead, African Union (AU) foreign ministers have agreed to concentrate their energies on securing the seats and not "bickering about who gets the seats".
Peace and security council commissioner Said Djinnit dismissed suggestions that the 7th council of ministers meeting on Saturday was discussing who would get the seat in the reformed UNSC.
The meeting took place ahead of the AU heads of state and government summit here scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.
"No, that has never been the issue, because we said Africa will select the candidates for the United Nations security council when the time comes.
"The priority now is on the need to secure the seats and when it is time for Africa to select its candidate it will select," he said.
A delegate at the summit told SA government news agency BuaNews that there was "great pressure" from some delegates to discuss the issue on which countries would get to represent Africa there.
South Africa, Nigeria, Libya, Kenya, Angola, Senegal and Egypt have expressed their candidacy in this regard.
Djinnit said consultations were already taking place on who would get the seats if they were allocated to Africa.
The council has also moved to seek veto powers in the security council.
"Yes, we are discussing getting the veto powers. If it exists for others then it should also exist to us," said South Africa's Foreign Affairs Minister Nkosazana
Dlamini-Zuma.
Presently, the body has 15 members with five of them having permanent veto powers. They are the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China.
Political analysts have cautioned African leaders against "bickering about who gets the seats".
A political analyst at the South African institute for international affairs, Kuseni Dlamini, earlier told BuaNews that it was important that African leaders stop the power struggle.
"African leaders must speak in one voice to seek reforms of the UN.
"If we don't stop 'bickering' the world will see Africa as a laughing stock," he said. - BuaNews