At long last all the countries that are keenly eyeing seats on the United Nations Security Council have shown their hands.

The heated discussions on Security Council reform illustrate their perceptions on the future of the world body and their own interests.

A dozen countries, collectively known as the "Uniting for Consensus" group, have presented an alternative approach to expanding the council. It calls for the addition of more non-permanent members in response to a draft resolution offered by Group-4, namely Japan, Germany, Brazil and India. The G-4 is lobbying intensely to gain new seats on the Security Council as permanent members.

A letter and accompanying memorandum, drawn up by Italy on behalf of the Uniting for Consensus nations, were sent on Friday to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, UN General Assembly President Jean Ping, and all member states and observers.

While the G-4 nations want to change the structure of the council by adding six new permanent members and four new non-permanent members, the Uniting for Consensus group proposes adding 10 new non-permanent members who would be elected for two or three-year terms.

Under the current system there are five permanent members -- Britain, France, Russia, the United States and China -- and 10 non-permanent members who are elected on a rotational basis and serve out two-year terms.

According to the document from the Uniting for Consensus, in the first election of non-permanent members after the increase of Security Council membership from 15 to 25, five of the retiring members shall continue for one more year.

Under the new proposal, there would be six seats allotted to Africa, five to Asia, four to Latin America and the Caribbean, three to Western Europe and other states, and two to Eastern Europe.

It is not a stretch to understand that this proposal will keep the Security Council's current pattern intact. It will breed no new sources of discrimination among the council members because it does not create semi-permanent, or permanent seats without veto power.

This moderate approach will keep the wheels of the world body running through the years of reform.

And the new proposal simplifies the procedures for the council's expansion.

While the G-4 envisions carrying out a three-step process, which includes changing the framework, selecting new permanent members and amending the UN Charter, the Uniting for Consensus group is only focusing on altering the charter. This simplified procedure could become operational sooner.

A novel part of the new proposal is the possible transferring of decision-making power to different regions. And which countries are qualified to represent these regions is a decision up to the regions themselves.

While the non-permanent seats are reelected, priority shall be given to the countries that make the greatest contributions to world peace and security, while attention is paid to a balance among the different regions.

The Uniting for Consensus group also calls for continuing consultations under the auspices of Annan and Jean Ping to reach "the broadest possible agreement" on Security Council reform. This is the approach that countries the world over should follow to answer our common problems.

UN reform, which is at a critical juncture, should be advanced through consensus and without any coercive deadlines.

A plan of reform based on consensus will reduce disputes in the future to a minimum. The proposal from the Uniting for Consensus countries demonstrates strengths that can help bring about a more democratic, representative, transparent, effective and accountable Security Council. 

(China Daily May 31, 2005)