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| Sunday, 10 July 2005 |
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Koizumi fails on UN SC bid Scotland, July 9 (AFP) Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi failed to win full support from his Group of Eight partners here for Tokyo's bid to become a permanent member of the UN Security Council. The Japanese leader waged an energetic campaign at a just-ended G8 summit on behalf of his country's long-held dream to become a major player at the UN. The summit coincided with the submission of a draft resolution by Japan, Germany, Brazil and India, the so-called Group of Four (G4), in New York on the controversial expansion of the UN Security Council. "For the five permanent members, UN reform is a matter of vested rights, but 60 years has passed and former enemies Japan and Germany are now your friend nations. Don't you think?," Koizumi told his G8 partners. But G8 counterparts from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Ruussia and the United States did not respond, according to a Japanese government official. In bilateral meetings with Koizumi, US President George W. Bush repeated his backing for the bid, while Russian President Vladimir Putin offered conditional support. Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin rerportedly voiced mild opposition. Koizumi admitted his campaign ended halfway. "We had consensus that reform is necessary, but once we discuss how we conduct the reform, we cannot be united easily," he told a news conference. "That's my honest and straight view." The G8 members are sharply divided over the G4 plan calling for the creation of six new permanent seats without right of veto and four non-permanent seats. Even if the G8 members eventually agree to back the scheme, China is regarded as the biggest obstacle to Japan's hope. "According to the particular rules of the United Nations, (Japan) basically needs support of all members of the security council, which includes China," said John Kirton, director of the G8 Research Group. |
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