UNSC Reforms: 'Lack of interests by top leaders undermine Foreign Ministry's efforts'

The top government leaders have shown lack of interest in United Nation Security Council Reforms that undermined the foreign ministry's efforts, which was privately assuring their counterparts from Germany and Japan that Pakistan supported their bids for permanent seats on Security Council, but opposed India.
This was stated by former ambassador Asif Ezdi during a public talk on 'United Nation's Security Council Reforms," organised by Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad on Thursday. Asif said that Foreign Minister Kasuri had reportedly voiced support for Japan's bid for a permanent seat in meetings with Japanese leaders during a visit to the country in February 2005. Kasuri objected to India's permanent membership due to its past wars with Pakistan and China and violation of Security Council's resolution calling for a plebiscite in Kashmir.
"Musharraf also told German Chancellor that while Pakistan was opposed to India's bid, it support Germany's Security Council aspirations," he added. Asif further remarked that in presenting Pakistan's case against the aspirants of permanent membership, we have often unwittingly made it like a Pakistan-India issue or at least have not done enough to counter this impression. "I am not referring only to what our leaders told their Japanese and German counterparts, but to some of our strident statements in New York, in which we have openly attacked India's claim to a permanent seat," he explained.
He apprehended that this kind of grandstanding might makes Pakistan feel good and went down well with Pakistani public, but it harmed Pakistan's case on Security Council reforms. "We have used language indicating that our concerns are India-specific," he added.
Asif maintained that Pakistan's strategy on Security Council reforms has been left largely to country's permanent mission in New York, which cannot be expected to have the wider perspective and the comprehensive overview possible only from the headquarters. He said that discussions on Security Council reforms were presently deadlocked. There is no meeting ground between the aspirants for permanent seats and those who oppose any expansion in the permanent category.
"On one hand Brazil, Germany and Japan are willing to consider an intermediary solution like UfC (mid-tier countries and supporters comprising the uniting for consensus) proposal for semi permanent seat. But India is not. While on the other, the African group of 54 countries, which has a large bloc of votes is locked in an unrealistic demand for two permanent seats with veto powers," he pointed out.
The former ambassador said that the deadlock could be broken if US and China agree on a reforms package. During question answer session, Mohammad, an official of Egypt Embassy, viewed that extension of permanent seats without veto power would not bring any change.
Ambassador of Argentina remarked that transparency was another concerns among the non-permanent member of UN as permanent members always took decisions keeping in mind the interest of their own regions. A large number of former ambassadors, diplomats, government's officials and media persons attended the public talk and exchanged their views with guest speaker.