World
Institutional
links
Welcome back on
26 -29 August,
ONS 2008
Bridging
the energy gap
is ONS 2006 theme,
from 22-25 August,
in Stavanger, Norway
Petroleumworld
Business
Partners:
Centre for
Global Energy
Studies
  |
Britain backs four countries for Security Council veto
AFP
LONDON
Petroleumworld.com 09 26 07
Britain is backing South Africa, Japan, Brazil and India for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in an interview broadcast Tuesday.
He added that there was no question of a European Union seat on the UN body, nor was there any prospect of Britain giving up its own permanent seat, and veto, on the Security Council.
"We think, very clearly, that the South Africas of this world, the Japans of this world, the Brazils of this world, the Indias of this world, have a very clear claim (for a permanent seat), and we will be arguing for UN reform," Miliband told the BBC.
Asked about whether Britain wanted Germany to gain permanent membership, Miliband did not address the question, though a British foreign ministry spokesman later told AFP: "The UK supports Security Council seats for the so-called G4 of Japan, Germany, Brazil and India, and for Africa."
Germany in July temporarily put a hold on its bid for a permanent seat on the Council to boost discussions for a broad-based reform of the world body.
Miliband said that he would give a speech at the United Nations in New York on Friday focusing on global inequalities, one of which he said was an inequality of power.
"I think its perfectly legitimate for you to say that Britain is a privileged member of the UN as a result of our membership to the Security Council," he said.
"I think others have got a strong claim to join us there."
Asked whether there was any prospect of Britain giving up its permanent seat on the Security Council, or the European Union gaining a seat of its own, Miliband responded: "There is no question of an EU seat on the Security Council."
"Britain and France are two European countries with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, and we're absolutely determined to keep it that way.
"It's a UK seat, a UK vote."
AFP 25 2327 GMT 09 07
Copyright© 2007 Petroleumworld. All rights reserved.
Your
feedback is important to us!
We invite all our readers to share with us
their views and comments about this article.
Write to editor@petroleumworld.com
Any
question or suggestions, please write to:
editor@petroleumworld.com
Best
Viewed with IE
5.01+
Windows
NT 4.0, '95, '98 and ME +/ 800x600 pixels