Premature reform will undermine unity among UN members: China

K J M Varma

Beijing, Feb 13 (PTI) As India along with other G-4countries stepped up campaign for urgent reforms of the UNSecurity Council, China today warned that forcing "premature"reform plans will not only "undermine" the unity of UN membernations, but also harm the process.

Harping on the "serious differences" prevailing amongmembers on the issue, China called for working out "broadbased consensus".

Members of the UN should work for a broad-basedconsensus on the reform of the UN Security Council, ChineseForeign Ministry spokesman Ma Zhaoxu said, apparently reactingto yesterday''s statement by G-4 countries calling forfinalisation of the UNSC reforms this year itself.

The G-4 is an alliance among India, Brazil, Germanyand Japan for the purpose of supporting each other''s bids forpermanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.

Ma said that China held that UN member nations shouldseek for a package of solutions for the reform on the basis ofbroad and democratic consultation among member nations toaccommodate interests and concerns of all parties.

Though some positive progress had been made sinceinter-government negotiations regarding the reform of the UNSCwere launched, there were still serious differences within allparties over certain important issues about the reform,state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Ma as saying in responseto the G-4 declaration relased at the United Nations.

China advocated that the more differences the membercountries had on the reform, the more necessary for UN membernations to enhance dialogue and consultation, Ma said.

"Experience has proven that presetting results for thereform or forcing premature reform plans will not onlyundermine the unity of UN member nations, but also harm thereform process, which will not be in line with any party''sinterests," he said.

China is ready to maintain contact with all relevantparties, and make joint efforts with other member nations topush forward the reform in a way which can be conducive tosafeguarding the overall interests of UN and the unity of themember nations, Ma said.

The G-4 statement said most of UN members supportedenlarging the council with new permanent and non-permanentmembers, and insisted tangible results be achieved in thisregard during the Current Session of the UN General Assembly.

Pressure is mounting on China to take a clear stand onthe UNSC reforms ever since US President Barrack Obama''sendorsement of India''s bid for permanent seat.

China is the only country among the permanent memberswhich has yet to endorse India''s bid for a permanent seat.

Last month China had reacted cautiously to remarks byHardeep Singh Puri, India''s Permanent Representative to UN,that he believed China would not be an obstacle to Indianbecoming a permanent member of the UNSC.

Reacting to Puri''s remarks, Chinese Foreign Ministrysaid "China understands and supports India''s desire to play abigger role in the UN, including its Security Council."

At the same time it clarified that there was no changein China''s stand.