UNSC reform: India presses for 'actual negotiations'

Pressing for "actual negotiations" on the issue of UN Security Council expansion, India has asked the General Assembly for discussions to be held in an interactive format, as representatives of the world body met in New York to launch parleys on reforms.
    
"We have to have actual negotiations and not waste time on yet another round of set statements," Indian UN Ambassador Nirupam Sen told an informal meeting of the 192-member UN General Assembly, called to discuss the timetable for talks to formally begin in March.
    
Referring to the format followed by Open-Ended Working Group (OEWG) on UNSC reforms which has been hearing statements for 15 years, Sen said the process has made no real progress.
    
The member States have decided to move to inter- governmental negotiations, virtually rejecting the suggestion of Uniting for Consensus led by Pakistan which wanted OEWG to continue the discussions.
    
Sen said the minority that does not want real progress looks forward to wasting March and April simply making
statements and turning the assembly into OEWG. "We cannot accept this," he said.
    
Speaking at the informal meeting ahead of the inter-governmental negotiations, Sen, without naming the UFC, criticized the "minority" for continuing efforts to ensure that "history does not turn."
 
"I will not dwell on the rather

sad fate of those who have tried to hold back the wheel of history," Sen said.
    
"Today has finally come after 15 years of consultations in the OEWG with no concrete outcome, and it has come despite Herculean efforts by a minority to block any possibility of real negotiations," he said.
    
Sen favoured an interactive format in which States can react to proposals immediately to accelerate the process.
    
He also suggested that the frequency of meetings to discuss the issue be increased to at least twice a week rather
than once in two weeks, pointing out that even small States like Solomon Islands and Saint Vincent and Grenadines are
comfortable with this format.
    
Besides, South Africa, Nigeria and several other states too endorsed the Indian call for increasing frequency of the
meetings. "The minority that opposes this, again does not want progress or even actual negotiations," he told the closed-door meeting.
    
Sen also suggested preparation of a paper including all proposals made by members prior to the March 4 meeting of the Assembly which the States could discuss.
    
India, backed by a large number of members, advocates expansion in both permanent and non permanent categories.
India along with Japan, Germany and Brazil, called Group of four (G-4), are strong contenders for a permanent slot in the expanded Council.