India gives up veto clause for Security Council seat

Faced with opposition from several member countries, India and other G-4 countries have dropped their demand for veto power in an expanded UN Security Council for 15 years if they are accepted as permanent members of the world body.

In a new compromise draft circulated yesterday, India, Japan, Brazil and Germany, campaigning vigorously to become permanent members of the Security Council, proposed increasing the strength of the Council from 15 to 25 members with six new permanent seats, thus hoping to join the elite group. Two seats may go to African nations.

The draft, which emerged after weeks of discussions, keeps the principle of veto for the new permanent members intact but they would not exercise it until the question of its extension has been decided by a review conference 15 years after the amendments to Charter giving effect to the recommendations in the resolution come into force.

In effect, the new permanent members would not have veto right for at least first 15 years after taking their place.

Replying to questions, Indian UN Ambassador Nirupam Sen said the amended draft has not been diluted so far as veto is concerned as it keeps the principle intact.

Coming out of the meeting at which they explained to member states rationale behind the various provisions of the draft, ambassadors of G-4 expressed confidence that they would be able to get two-thirds majority required for adoption of the resolution in the 191-memebr General Assembly.

The draft shows that the G-4 compromised to some extent on the issue of veto as their diplomats said that several member states, especially developing nations in Africa, are opposed to use of veto even by the current permanent members and thought that eleven vetoes in the 25-member Council might make its working difficult.

Other diplomats said it might also have the effect of current permanent members being more careful in the use of veto.

Sen said the member states would also be judging the performance of current permanent members also as that would be very much in their mind at the review conference.

He said the number of co-sponsors currently is in double digits but declined to give the exact figures, saying it is increasing by the minute.

The G-4 are planning to put the draft to vote in Assembly by June end. It would be followed by a second resolution on election of new permanent members and a third resolution seeking amendment to the charter to increase the strength of the Council to 25. All the three resolutions would require two-thirds majority.

They hope to get the whole process completed by July end, much before the world leaders' summit at the United Nations scheduled for mid-September.

Pakistan and Italy led "Uniting For Consensus" group, which are opposing the G-4, and China were taken by surprise when the grouping had on Tuesday said they were postponing the draft circulation under pressure from the US and opposition from Beijing.