US opposed to UN Security Council reforms at this time

Anne W. Patterson, the deputy U.S. permanent representative to the United Nations, told the U.N. Security Council Tuesday the United States wants those seeking to expand the Security Council's permanent membership to defer those expansion plans.

Patterson indicated that there are more urgently needed reforms at the United Nations.

The US has continuously expressed lack of desire for meaningful and timely UN Security Council, where the Council is seen by some as a mere instrument of US foreign policy. Any efforts to democratize the Council will weaken the US position at that body.

It is worth noting that the most important reason for the creation of the United Nations were conflict resolution issues, issues which have been monopolized by the Security Council. The great majority of United Nations members have said that they want a more democratic and representative Security Council. The US position can be seen as an effort to intentionaly distract from the momentum and desire to achieve UN Security Council reforms at the UN September summit.

Meantime, the African Union countries are meeting today in Addis Ababa to decide whether to vote as one block for a compromise with G-4 countries' proposal (promoted by Germany, Japan, India and Brazil), or to seek other alternatives that could include releasing each country to vote as it wish. An African Union compromise with the G-4 countries proposal will have enough votes to be adopted by the United Nations General Assembly.