Asia deserves two Security Council seats, says Alatas

Asia deserves two Security Council seats, says Alatas

UNITED NATIONS (Agencies): Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali
Alatas said Tuesday that developing Asian nations deserved two
permanent seats on the Security Council but the General Assembly
should avoid being rushed into a decision on the contentious
issue.

In a speech to the UN General Assembly, Alatas said Africa had
indicated they would like two permanent seats in any plan to
enlarge the 15-member body.

"By the same token, we believe that it is legitimate that the
new composition of the Security Council should have two new
permanent members from among the developing countries of the
Asian continent," he said.

Alatas apparently raised the idea of two seats for developing
Asian countries to open the door for Indonesia to join the UN's
most powerful body, although he did not specifically say so.

The current council includes five permanent members, the main
victors of the Second World War -- the United States, Britain,
Russia, China and France -- and 10 other countries who rotate for
two-year terms.

Alatas made no mention of a possible Indonesian candidacy, but
said efforts to reform the council "should not be subject to any
imposed-time frame. For although the issue is urgent, it should
not be decided before there is a general agreement."

Currently the most liberal plan calls for permanent seats for
Germany, Japan and representatives from Africa, Asia and Latin
America.

But disputes on who should have the regional seats, whether
new members would have veto power and how many nonpermanent
members, if any, should be added may delay reform of the council
for years to come.

India and Brazil have proposed themselves as candidates from
Asia and Latin America.

Although Japan is an Asian country, its interests are
different from those of developing countries of the world's most
populous continent.

As the world's fourth largest country in population, Indonesia
probably would be squeezed out by India if only one country from
Asia occupied the seat.

Alatas told the General Assembly that new permanent members
should be chosen not only by geography but also their "political,
economic and demographic weight" and their "track record of
contributing" to world peace.

Alatas indicated he was in no hurry to see the council
expanded, saying such efforts should not be subject to "any
imposed time frame".

In an apparent reference to the United States, which now owes
the United Nations US$1.5 billion, Alatas said reforming the
world body should not become a euphemism for budget slashing or
an excuse for "certain states" to renege on their financial
obligations.

Instead reform should adhere to the organization's fundamental
goals: "the ability to foster the development and to address the
root causes of poverty and conflict".

He endorsed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's proposal to
restructure the world body but said a "careful study" was needed
in his plans to integrate human rights activities into all UN
programs.

Alatas also harshly criticized free trade, saying that "we
have no illusions" about globalization or the health of the world
economy.

"Millions in the developing world still languish in wrenching
poverty," he said.

"Given the sharp fluctuations of international financial flows
and currency manipulation by speculators, economies built through
years of patient, sound and solid fiscal and monetary policy-
making could be crushed overnight in the anarchy of the
globalized marketplace," he said.

"Globalization, therefore, should be managed so as to soften
its impact on vulnerable economies."

Alatas said the crippling debt in the Third World also impeded
development and again advocated an approach that would "once and
for all" reduce indebtedness to a level that would allow
development to resume.