G-4 strongly endorses need for 'text-based negotiations' on UNSC reform

Leaders of the Group of Four nations (G-4) on Saturday emphatically called for a more representative, legitimate and effective United Nations Security Council (UNSC), as this was the need of the hour to address global conflicts and crises, which had spiraled in recent years.

Calling for text-based negotiations to be implemented forthwith, the G-4 leadership, comprising of India (Prime Minister Narendra Modi), Japan (Prime Minister Shinzo Abe), Germany (Chancellor Angela Merkel) and Brazil (President Dilma Rousseff), said in their joint statement issued after their meeting at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here, that, "They shared the view that this can be achieved by reflecting the realities of the international community in the 21st century, where more Member States have the capacity and willingness to take on major responsibilities with regard to maintenance of international peace and security."

The joint statement further stated that, "The leaders noted with concern that no substantial progress had been made since the 2005 World Summit where all the Heads of State and Government had unanimously supported the "early reform" of the Security Council as an essential element of the overall effort to reform the United Nations.,"

The leaders strongly emphasized that the process underway in the UN to bring about the reform of the Security Council should be conducted, given its urgency, in a fixed time frame.

"The leaders paid tribute to the dynamic leadership of the President of the 69th General Assembly and the efforts of the Chair of the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) in moving the IGN process towards text-based negotiations," their joint statement said.

"They welcomed the adoption by consensus of the General Assembly Decision 69/560 to use the text presented by the President of the 69th General Assembly in his letter dated 31 July 2015 as the basis for negotiations within the IGN. They also pledged to support and cooperate with the President of the 70th General Assembly," it added.

The leaders further emphasized that the G-4 countries are legitimate candidates for permanent membership in an expanded and reformed Council and supported each other's candidature.

They also reaffirmed their resolve to continue contributing to the fulfillment of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

They pledged to work together with all Member States and to accelerate outreach towards achieving an early and meaningful reform of the Security Council.

They expressed determination to redouble their efforts towards securing concrete outcomes during the 70th session of the General Assembly.