UNGA panel on SC expansion remains deadlocked

"The slogan of 'never ending working group' looks good, but certainly what is more real is the 'never ending ambition of the few' that has driven us to deadlock," Akram said.
"Today, it is clear that we do not have agreement on the framework and modalities and no agreement on the basis for negotiations. Yet we are asked to open negotiations, regardless of the divergences, despite the fact that your recommendations have been spurned vociferously by those who seek the start of negotiations," he said while addressing the Assembly President, Srgjan Kerim, who presided over the group meeting.
"Negotiations cannot commence or succeed by coercion of the member states and even of the President of the General Assembly. Our aim should be general agreement, to create conditions in which we can achieve effective and timely reform of the Security Council."
Ambassador Akram then circulated amendments to the text of the group's proposed statement that make the point that the emphasis on general agreement must remain. "We cannot have reform of the Security Council through voting procedures. Such a reform will neither be effective, nor acceptable," he said.
The Ambassador also proposed that the Working Group remains the only venue for discussion, and an agreement on the framework and modalities and identify the negotiables.
"We must have a Council that is representative of both the member states and the regional groups. Ambassador Akram said in conclusion. "We must have a Security Council, which is large enough, yet small enough. We must have a Council that can overcome the danger of veto from the permanent members. We must also achieve reform in a timely manner so that the United Nations may not become irrelevant."
Many diplomats paid tributes to Ambassador Akram for having played a pivotal role in frustrating attempts at lopsided enlargement of the Council as also for upholding the interests of small and medium states.
Akram is being replaced by Abdullah Hussain Haroon, a former speaker of the Sindh Assembly who arrived in New York on Wednesday afternoon.
An expert at multilateral diplomacy, Akram was appointed as Pakistan's chief delegate at the UN in 2002 after serving as ambassador to the world body's European offices in Geneva for seven years.
During his long term at the UN, Ambassador Akram occupied almost every important position. He was twice the President of the Security Council in May 2003 and again in May 2004; President of the Economic and Social Council in 2005; Chairman of the Group of 77 and China (developing countries) in 2007; Facilitator on UN Administrative Reform in 2006. For the last 12 months, he also chaired the Islamic Conference Group of Ambassadors in New York.
The work for reforming the council began in July 2005 when the aspirants for permanent membership - India, Brazil, Germany and Japan -  called G4 - proposed the boosting the council's  membership from 15 members to 25, with six new permanent seats without veto power and two for the African region as well as four non-permanent seats.
The Italy/Pakistan-led UfC group sought enlargement of the council to 25 seats, with 10 new non-permanent members who would be elected for two-year terms, with the possibility of immediate re-election.
The African Union's called for the Council to be enlarged to 26 seats, one more permanent seat than the G-4 proposal. Its proposal for six new permanent seats was the same as the G-4's, except that it would give the new members veto privileges.
The Council has five permanent, veto-wielding members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. An additional 10 non-permanent members serve two-year term.