The much awaited talks on United Nations Security Council reforms are all set to start on February 19, UN officials said on Friday (30 January, 2009). The negotiations among the world's nations, will feature the highly debated issue of expanding the current membership of the Security Council.

 

At present, UNSC has 15 members including 5 permanent and 10 non-permanent ones. Many countries believe that the present composition of the body largely reflects the world order formed after World War II.

 

Therefore, most countries realize that, the membership of the body needs to be enlarged to reflect the present realities in the new world order. However there is little agreement over the process of such reform, as there are more than one model proposed by different parties.

 

The UNSC is the powerhouse of the United Nations. It has five permanent members United States, Russia, Britain, France and China having the veto power. The 10 non-permanent members are elected for two-years on regional basis. They have no veto power. Such a membership pattern was set in 1965.

 

The starting date of the negotiation was announced on Thursday (29th January) by General Assembly president Miguel D'Escoto. In 2007, after years of deadlock, D'Escoto's predecessor began a fresh attempt to get the negotiations under way. Nations like India, South Africa, Brazil, Germany and Japan are strongly lobbying for permanent seats in the Security Council.