India and three other countries demanding permanant seats in the United Nations Security Council circulated a draft resolution on Tuesday calling for expansion of the Council from 15 to 25 members, with six new entrants having veto powers and four alternating members.
The draft resolution unveiled by India, Brazil, Germany and Japan -- known as G4 -- said the new entrants should have the "same responsibilities and obligations" as the current permanent members, including veto power over UNSC resolutions, sources said.
'There should be no discrimination on veto'
The text, circulated to diplomats from more than 70 countries at a meeting at the UN, however, made it clear that the differences over veto power should not be a stumbling block in the way of expansion of the Security Council.
The Council should be expanded to better reflect contemporary world realities, the draft said, a day after New York Times reported that US has signalled it will not support the quest of G4 nations for permanent seats in the UNSC unless they give up their demand for veto power.
The four have decided to move a framework resolution in the UN General Assembly in June, before which they expect to muster required numbers in their favour -- two-thirds of the 191 UN members.
An Indo-Japanese strategic alliance
Diplomats said there was no dilution in their original stand that new permanent members should have veto powers.
There have been reports that Japan, Germany and Brazil might agree to permanent membership without veto, but India was known to have never wavered from its stand on the issue.
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