Developing countries should be given more say in efforts to reform the United Nations Security Council, a Chinese official said in Rome Thursday.

"More countries, including small and medium ones, should have more opportunities to take part in the decision-making of the security council," said, Liu Jieyi, assistant foreign minister when addressing a ministerial meeting on the reform of UN Security Council held Thursday in Rome of Italy.

The principle of equitable geographical distribution should be reflected and different civilizations and cultures should be factored into the reform, said Liu.

He also called for "greater representation" of African countries in the council.

"Any expansion that fails to treat African and other developing countries fairly could hardly win wide, let alone consensus support. Nor will China support such a formula," he noted.

At the one-day meeting, Liu said the Security Council needs "necessary and appropriate" reforms to be "more efficient, accountable, representative and better equipped to meet global challenges" in the current international environment.

"We hope the upcoming inter-governmental negotiations will narrow rather than widen differences, maintain rather than undermine unity among member states, and seek compromise rather than increase division."

Liu said the reform of the Security Council requires the participation of the entire membership to build the broadest possible consensus through sufficient and democratic consultations and to find a package solution to related issues.

Inter-governmental negotiations should be democratic, transparent and inclusive, uphold unity and accommodate the interests and concerns of all regional groups and all countries, said Liu.

Although member states all agree on the need to reform the Council, they envision different ways of reform in terms of both process and substance. No reform formula has yet emerged that enjoys the broadest possible consensus among the UN membership.

To break the impasse and build consensus, it is necessary to explore ways and initiatives creatively on the basis of reflecting existing formulae, the senior Chinese diplomat said, calling on the parties to adopt "a flexible and pragmatic attitude, show wisdom and creativity."

He suggested that parties first agree on the framework and modalities of inter-governmental negotiations to help avoid procedurally pitfalls and create a positive atmosphere for productive negotiations in mutual respect.

Liu said China supports the reform and will take a constructive and responsible attitude in the negotiation.

"China will work with other member states to push forward the reform in the interest of the United Nations as a whole as well as the unity among its membership," he said.

Representatives from 76 countries, including some 20 foreign ministers from Spain, Pakistan, Argentina, Libya, Iraq and other countries, attended the meeting.

(Xinhua News Agency February 7, 2009)