At a meeting yesterday, July 17, in New York, representatives of Brazil, Germany, India, and Japan discussed proposals to reform the United Nations Security Council.
Brazil was represented at the meeting by the Minister of Foreign Relations, Celso Amorim. The four countries comprise the G4, a group that is seeking permanent seats on the Council.
The G4 members met in the morning with the president of the UN General Assembly, Jean Ping. Afterwards, they paid a visit to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan. In the afternoon they gathered with representatives of African countries.
The UN Security Council is formed by 15 countries, five of which hold permanent seats: the United States, China, Russia, Great Britain, and France.
The G4 proposes that the total number of seats be increased to 25, 11 of which would be permanent.
The 11 permanent members would include the five countries that currently hold such seats and six others, still to be named.
The G4 countries seek membership in this select group, while the two remaining vacancies would go to African countries.
ABr – www.radiobras.gov.br
