AU rejects compromise on UN

2005-08-05 09:24

Amber Henshaw

Addis Ababa - African leaders are sticking with their demand for two veto-wielding permanent seats on the United Nations security council, rejecting a compromise some had hoped would ensure the success of proposed UN reforms.

"Africa has come together with a consensus, which is to push Africa's case," Ethiopian foreign minister Seyoum Mesfin said after the decision was made at an extraordinary African Union 9AU) summit on Thursday.

The so-called Group of Four - Japan, Brazil, Germany and India - had proposed instead that Africa get two permanent seats on the council, but no veto power.

Equal powers for all

Sudanese foreign minister Mustafa Osman Ismail said it would be unfair to have three kinds of council members and African countries deserved the same powers as wealthy countries.

The rejection may scuttle years of work toward expanding the security council.

AU delegates said the leaders formed a special commission of heads of state from 10 African countries to pursue the African Union's agenda in UN reforms.

An Egyptian diplomat and another North African delegate said the representatives from 53 African nations voted 90% in favour of sticking to the group's original decision not to accept any security council reforms that did not expand the number of seats capable of vetoing resolutions brought before the council.

The Group of Four has proposed a 25-member council, adding six permanent seats without a veto and four non-permanent seats. Group of Four members hope to win four of the permanent seats with the other two earmarked for Africa. One of the non-permanent seats would also be set aside for Africa.

The AU proposes expanding the council to 26 members - adding six permanent seats with veto power and five non-permanent seats. A third proposal by a group called Uniting for Consensus would add 10 non-permanent seats.

Reaching a compromise

Earlier, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo had advised his fellow African leaders to compromise to advance reforms.

"The main issue before us is to decide either Africa will join the rest of the world, or the majority of the rest of the world, in bringing to a conclusion a demand for UN reform," Obasanjo said. "Or if Africa will stand on a non-negotiable position which will certainly frustrate the reform efforts."

"Issues relating to Africa's conflicts occupy about 70% of security council agenda and time," Obasanjo said, in recommending the Group of Four position. "To have Africa's representation on that council to be increased from three to six will be a quantum leap forward."

Even if a compromise had been reached in Addis, it would have faced trouble at the UN. At the UN on Tuesday, China's ambassador announced his country and the United States and China would work together to block the Group of Four's plan.

China opposes a permanent seat for Group of Four member Japan and wants more developing countries on the council.

- AP