Pak opposed to UNSC expansion

Pakistan is standing firm in its opposition to the expansion of permanent members in the United Nations Security Council, saying additions don't and won't guarantee enhanced representativeness or effectiveness.

Pakistan's Permanent to the United Nations Maleeha Lodhi told a Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform committee that there is no cogent answer being given on how to make the UNSC more representative.

She said that adding new permanent members would in fact have the opposite effect.

The envoy also warned against going for a piecemeal approach and argued that the negotiating process must be member-state driven, aimed at achieving the widest possible political acceptance.

She stressed that reform must also be based on principles of democracy, transparency and accountability.

"One cannot claim to seek a more democratic, accountable, transparent, effective and representative council in one key area of reform and then propose ideas in other areas that undercut the same principles," she argued.

She said that all member states had expressed a desire for greater participation in Security Council's work, as well as "enhanced transparency and accountability of the council".

"If we all truly share these ideals.. we must be able to justify our positions in other key areas of reform on the same principles, " Dawn quoted her as saying.

Underlining that all member states' desire to participate in and be informed about the Security Council's work, she said that they do not view the council as the preserve of a few ostensibly powerful states.

"This is why Pakistan has always stressed expansion of the council's membership that serves the interest of all member States," she added.

She said that additional permanent seats "usurp the equal opportunity rights" of other Member States of the General Assembly to serve in the council.

She questioned, "How can justice, fair play, transparency and accountability be promoted by such an unfair expansion of the council.