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Russia suggests Asian, African developing countries be admitted to UN Security Council

"It will ensure well-balanced and well-considered character of future resolutions of the Council," Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov said

© AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

UNITED NATIONS, July 20. /TASS/. Developing countries of Asia and Africa are to be the first to be admitted to the extended United Nations Security Council, Russia’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vladimir Safronkov said on Wednesday.

"We believe that developing countries of Africa and Asia should enjoy priority rights to be granted seats in the Security Council. We are confident that these countries have enough potential to make a weighty contribution to efforts aimed at ensuring international peace and security. And what is most important, it will ensure well-balanced and well-considered character of future resolutions of the Council," he said at a General Assembly meeting dedicated to issues of the Security Council reforms.

According to Safronkov, the issue of the Security Council reform is one of the most important of the United Nations agenda as it concerns "a body, which under the United Nations Charter bears principal responsibility for maintaining international peace and security." At the same time, he noted that there are "considerable gaps" in positions of the states, which surfaced during the latest session of inter-governmental talks.

"Bearing in mind the enormous political significance of the issue of the Security Council reform," the United Nations member states should find a solution that "would enjoy much bigger support of the member states than formally required two thirds of votes," he said. "A consensus-based solution would be the best option. This work should be done in a calm, transparent and inclusive atmosphere, without artificially set time limits." The Russian diplomat called to refrain from seeking to impose initiatives, which "do not enjoy universal support."

Intergovernmental talks on reforming the United Nations Security Council have been underway for years but the countries are failing to reach common grounds on key issues, such as an optimal composition of the Security Council, the number of its permanent and non-permanent members, and vetoing procedures. Among the most probable candidates for permanent membership in the United Nations Security Council are Brazil, Germany, India, South Africa, and Japan.

On Wednesday, the General Assembly passed a resolution on immediate resumption of the intragovernmental talks on Security Council reforms and on including this matter on the agenda of the 72nd session of the General Assembly that starts in September.

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