New permanent members in reformed UNSC should have same responsibilities, obligations as current ones: G4

By R Anil Kumar

United Nations, May 20. Offering a “realistic” way forward on UN Security Council reforms, the G4 nations of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan have proposed that new permanent members in an expanded Council would not exercise veto pending decision during a review period.

“The world has waited far too long for real reform of the UNSC, and we witness the consequences thereof,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni said, as he delivered a statement on behalf of the G4 nations Tuesday, May 19, on the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) meeting on Security Council Reforms. He highlighted that the discussion is a good platform for a comprehensive stock-taking of the IGN process, including an objective assessment of progress achieved, if any, and charting a realistic way forward to implement meaningful reforms of the UN Security Council.

Reiterating the G4’s flexibility with regard to the Question of Veto, he said the grouping “emphasizes that there cannot be a sub-category within the permanent category.” “For this reason, G4 takes the position that new permanent members should, as a principle, have the same responsibilities and obligations as current ones,” Parvathaneni said.

He emphasised that in order to show “openness and flexibility” on this issue to foster constructive negotiations, “the G4 proposes that new permanent members would not exercise veto until a decision on the matter is reached during a 15-year review.” India has maintained that the existing UNSC architecture hails from a different era and does not reflect current geopolitical realities.

The broad contours of the G4 model for UNSC reform propose increasing the Security Council membership from the current 15 to 25 or 26, with a reformed Council comprising 11 permanent members and 14 or 15 non-permanent members.   Currently, the powerful UN organ consists of five veto-wielding permanent members- China, France, Russia, the UK and the US. The remaining 10 members are elected to sit at the horseshoe table for two-year terms as non-permanent members. India last sat in the Council as a non-permanent member in 2021-22. Parvathaneni further said that the G4 has “clearly articulated” that a consolidated model must lead to text-based negotiations on UNSC reforms. “Such a model must be drawn up in an objective manner and solely in accordance with the views expressed by various groups and member states in IGN discussions. A consolidated model is a starting point for discussion, not an end point designed for consensus or the lowest common denominator,” he said.

The G4 strongly emphasised that the IGN runs the “obvious risk” of not achieving any real progress till the commencement of text-based negotiations. “As a reform-centric group, G4 once again underscores that the IGN must start negotiations on the basis of a text without any further delay,” he said.

The grouping underscored the imperative to avoid procedural hurdles, saying there is a long-standing practice on UN negotiations, as well as a clear mandate before the membership. “We cannot stress enough that possible bridging proposals and hybrid ideas must evolve from discussions among groups and member states on the basis of text negotiation,” he said “Efforts to consider such proposals and ideas before the formulation of, and discussion on, a text would be an instance of placing the cart before the horse. Furthermore, it would mean discarding views and proposals even before the start of a negotiation process,” he added.

The G4 also stressed that it is “positively disposed” towards adequate and continuing representation of Small Island Developing States (SIDS). Aspects such as the treatment of member states with membership in cross-regional groups, in addition to their respective regional groups, need to be fleshed out.

Representation, on the basis of faith, runs counter to time-tested UN practices,” the group said.