G4 nations call for 'political give and take' talks for UNSC

The G4 nations of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have made a strong call for moving beyond discussions to "political give and take" negotiations for achieving UNSC reforms, asserting that a quarter century of talks on the issue is enough to act and achieve results.
"In the next session, we would be entering into the 10th year of the IGN (Inter-Governmental Negotiations) process and the 25th year of the consideration of this issue by the General Assembly.
"Is there a silver lining to the efforts that we have made in 25 years...Is 25 years of conversation not time enough for us to heed that call for a little more action? We certainly think so," India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said yesterday on behalf of the G4 nations at the informal plenary meeting of the General Assembly Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform.

He outlined key issues that need to be addressed and added that for that there is a need for moving "beyond discussions to political give and take negotiations."
On the Security Council, he said while theoretically a body of 15 should be run by 15, "politically, we know that is not the case with the Council," a veiled reference to the concentration of power in the hands of the five permanent veto-wielding members.
The G4 statement further said that while, academic discussions indicate that the veto is the most unpopular aspect of the Council's functioning, politically its abolition is acknowledged as being extremely difficult.

Further, while in debates it is accepted that the views of the Troop Contributing Countries need to be taken into account in framing peace operations, "the political reality is that they do not have an effective platform for expression on such matters," he said.

India is among the largest troop contributors to UN peacekeeping operations and has repeatedly raised objections to troop contributing countries not being consulted before mandates are finalised by the Security Council.
The G4 highlighted several issues that need to be redressed in the revised version of the Food for Thought paper, the document tabled for consideration on UNSC expansion.

The grouping said that in section relating toCategories ofMembership, the correct factual position on proposals concerning this issue be reflected.
"All proposals offered thus far for the expansion of the 2-year term non-permanent seats are linked to expansion of other categories also and none exists in a stand-alone mode. So, our specific suggestion is, at the end of the first sentence of sub-section 4 ending with 'accepted by all Member States', the clause'as part of an expansion that includes other categories'is added," the G4 statement said.