Egypt disturbed by African moves on UNSC enlargement

Egypt has expressed concerns over moves by some other African countries to handle the enlargement of Security Council membership individually.

It is disturbing that consultations on the Council expansion are held on an individual basis, and in a way that allows African countries to isolate other parties in the continent and the body mandated to negotiate on its behalf, said Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul-Gheit.

The foreign ministers of African hopefuls for the Security Council membership have made contacts during the last two days to settle an agreement speeding up a vote on the framework draft on the enlargement, he said.

The draft does not agree with the resolutions adopted by the African Summit recently held in Sirte, Libya.

Egypt's top diplomat warned that some African countries had taken hasty decisions to make concessions to meet the demands of some international parties on the issue of enlargement.

Abul-Gheit said he was closely following up an attempt to hijack the African stance and manipulate it without consultation with the African Union.