Annan hints at setting timetable for U.N. reform

Japan Policy & Politics, Feb 28, 2005

NEW YORK, Feb. 24 Kyodo

U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan told two visiting Japanese lawmakers Thursday he may set a timetable to reform the world body.

The two -- Fukushiro Nukaga of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and Seiji Maehara of the opposition Democratic Party of Japan -- related Annan's determination after meeting him at the U.N. headquarters in New York.

''I told the secretary general that both Japanese lawmakers and the government support the reform of the United Nations,'' Nukaga said. ''I also told the secretary general that including Japan in the Security Council would help promote U.N. reform.''

Annan told the members of the House of Representatives that the African Union appears to be agreeing on the U.N. reform option preferred by Japan, but issues over veto power need further discussion.

Nukaga is a former chairman of the LDP's Policy Research Council who once served as director general of the Defense Agency while Maehara is the Defense Agency director general in the DPJ's shadow Cabinet.

The lawmakers said Annan also told them that he would make his recommendations for U.N. reform by the middle of next month that will highlight security and development issues.

The report on the reform of the U.N. Security Council released last November by the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change, an advisory panel to Annan, outlines two options for expanding the Security Council.

One calls for increasing permanent seats from five to 11 and nonpermanent seats from 10 to 13. This option, which is supported by Japan, does not mention whether the new permanent members will be granted veto power.

The other recommends establishing eight fresh nonpermanent member posts with rotating four-year terms and also increasing the number of conventional nonpermanent members by one to 11.

Although the report did not identify any of the prospective permanent members or holders of renewable-term seats, Japan is believed to have a good chance to benefit from the proposed reform.

The two lawmakers will visit Washington to meet with senior U.S. officials including Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan.

Nukaga heads the LDP panel on the issue as well as Japan-U.S. security arrangements.