United Nations : Britain backs bids by India, Brazil, Germany and Japan for permanent seats on the UN Security Council, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said. British support for the four countries came on Thursday, after French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier also backed their bids to join the Council and also called for a new permanent seat for an African nation.

The United States meanwhile supports Japan's bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council but is reserving judgement on other potential candidates, including friends Germany, India and Brazil, US Secretary of State Colin Powell said.

The Council has had the same five permanent members with veto power, Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, since the United Nations was established in the wake of World War II.

Ten other nations are elected as non-permanent members for two-year terms each. India, Japan, Germany and Brazil on Tuesday launched a united campaign to be admitted to the Security Council on a permanent basis, urged a permanent seat for an African nation and called for an expansion in the number of non-permanent members.

Sify News
Sep 24, 2004