Nov 14: Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations, Munir Akram, has said that Islamabad is against any increase in permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

“Permanent membership for a few individual states will deny the opportunity for equitable representation to the rest of us, ” Ambassador Munir Akram told the UN General Assembly which began a new bid to reform the 15-member council on Monday.

Akram, however, said that Pakistan is not against increase in the UNSC’s non-permanent seats.

“Only an acceptable formula with increase in non-permanent members and rotation can provide the means for such equitable representation for all States, ” he said.

“Such rotation, combined with regional representation, may also offer possibilities for a fuller representation of countries members of various groups of states, ” The Nation quoted Akram, as saying.

In July 2005, India, Brazil, Germany and Japan, the aspirants to permanent seats on the Council known as the Group of Four, called for boosting its membership from 15 members to 25, with six new permanent seats without veto power and two for the African region as well as four non-permanent seats.

The Italy and Pakistan-led “Uniting for Consensus” (UfC) group opposed any expansion of the permanent members on the Security Council. It sought enlargement of the council to 25 seats, with 10 new non-permanent members who would be elected for two-year terms, with the possibility of immediate re-election. (ANI)