G4 'legitimate candidates' for permanent UNSC members: Joint statement

The G4 countries of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan on Saturday emphasised that they were "legitimate candidates for permanent membership" in an expanded and reformed UN Security Council and supported each other's candidature.

After a special summit meeting, convened by India, the countries in a joint statement "also reaffirmed their resolve to continue contributing to the fulfillment of the purposes and principles of the UN Charter".

The four countries -- among the 10 biggest economies in the world -- pledged to work together with all member states of the UN 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."

India has convened the summit of the four countries -- represented by their leaders Prime Minister Narendra Modi, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff.

The G4 leaders stressed that a more representative, legitimate and effective Security Council was needed more than ever to address the global conflicts and crises, which had spiralled in recent years.

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, said the joint statement.

The leaders noted with concern that no substantial progress has been made since the 2005 World Summit where all the heads of state and government had unanimously supported "early reform" of the Security Council as an essential element of the overall effort to reform the United Nations.

The four countries strongly emphasised 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 noted with appreciation the efforts of the member states in moving towards text-based negotiations.

They welcomed, in particular, the efforts undertaken by the member states of the African Group, CARICOM (Caribbean Community and Common Market) and the L.69 Group (a group of developing countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific).

They supported Africa's representation in both the permanent and non-permanent membership in the Security Council.

They also noted the importance of adequate and continuing representation of small and medium-sized member states, including the Small Island Developing States, in an expanded and reformed Council, the statement said.