Pakistan opposes new permanent seats in UNSC

UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan has opposed the creation of new permanent seats in the UN Security Council, claiming it would go against inclusive decision-making at the world body.

"There should be no new centres of privilege," Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN Masood Khan told the 193-member General Assembly during a two-day debate on Security Council reforms.

Khan said that as a member of the Uniting for Consensus ( UfC), Pakistan opposes the notion of new individual permanent seats because it runs counter to the avowed reform objectives of transparency, democratisation and inclusive decision-making.

Pakistan advocates and supports a compromise proposal that will aggregate and reflect the interests of all members of the UN and regional organisations, he said.

Khan said Pakistan would respect Africa's collective demand for the continent's enhanced role in the Security Council.

He claimed the "Group of Four" countries (Brazil, India, Germany and Japan), who are pushing for permanent seats on the Council, were trying to foist their position on the membership.

The G-4 have complained in the debate in the General Assembly about the slow pace of reform in the Security Council. They called on the President of the General Assembly to accelerate negotiations that could lead to a decision on permanent seats.