Japan to closely watch moves toward Africa's decision on U.N. bid

Japan Policy & Politics, August 8, 2005

TOKYO, Aug. 1 Kyodo

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stressed on Monday the need for the so-called Group of Four nations to ''cautiously watch'' what kind of decision the African Union will make on the United Nations reform issue, Senior Vice Foreign Minister Ichiro Aisawa said.

Koizumi indicated Japan, Brazil, Germany and India should refrain from hastily seeking a vote on their joint U.N. resolution to expand the Security Council, Aisawa told reporters after a meeting with Koizumi.

Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura also joined the meeting.

Koizumi did not elaborate on the meeting with Machimura and Aisawa, telling reporters, ''They said we're in a very severe situation (about the U.N. bid issue).''

According to Aisawa, Koizumi indicated his administration has yet to obtain information suggesting the 53-nation African Union will hold a summit Friday as reported so far.

Aisawa indicated the G-4 will seek a vote on its resolution at the U.N. General Assembly in late August at the earliest, saying, ''It's no doubt that late August will be a big chance.''

The G-4 needs to work on a joint proposal with the African Union, the largest regional grouping in the United Nations, as its position is still weak in the United Nations.

The African Union also presented its own U.N. resolution calling for enlargement of the Security Council to the General Assembly, but it is not confident of its adoption either.

Foreign ministers from the G-4 and African Union agreed to try to merge their own resolutions in a meeting last month.

But it remains to be seen whether the AU leaders will endorse the position in an upcoming summit, AU Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare said recently.

A U.N. reform plan requires the backing of at least 128 out of the 191 U.N. members.