UNGA decision on UNSC reforms not conclusive model: Mogens Lykketoft

UNITED NATIONS: The intergovernmental negotiating text on UN Security Council reforms carried into the current General Assembly session cannot be seen as a conclusive model for a reformed Council, Assembly's new President Mogens Lykketoft has said, a remark that may not go well with India.

Lykketoft also did not promise any set date for completing the process.

"What we have from last Monday is a roll over of the work done by the facilitator. Of course that is not any kind of conclusions of models and I am not going to try on my own to make that conclusion," Lykketoft told reporters here yesterday in his first formal briefing after taking charge as the President of the 70th session of the General Assembly last week.

The decision last week was welcomed by India for a permanent seat in the revamped world body. India has been insisting on a speedy process to complete the reforms.

Lykketoft said the Assembly's adoption of the negotiating text and decision to continue intergovernmental negotiations in the current session represents a "strong demand from vast majority of member states of the UN that there should be a reform of some kind reflecting the geopolitical realities of the 21st century."

"It is obvious what the problems are... I hope that the process can be continued," he said.

When asked if he has any date in mind, Lykketoft said, "I would not promise that. You know how many years it ( UNSC reform process) has been ongoing already," he added.

The General Assembly had last week adopted by consensus the text on Security Council, setting the stage for negotiations on the long-pending issue of Security Council reform in the current session.

India has been a leading voice in the UN to commencing the process of Security Council reform on the basis of a negotiating text. It feels the reform process cannot go on indefinitely and should be completed during the landmark 70th anniversary of the UN.

Last week, on assuming his new role, Lykketoft from Denmark had vowed to continue the work of his predecessor Sam Kutesa on UN Security Council reforms.