Japan and the United Nations
Meeting of G4 Leaders on United Nations Security Council Reform
(Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
(Photo: Cabinet Public Relations Office)
On September 26, commencing at 8:25 a.m. (local time), the meeting of G4 leaders on United Nations Security Council Reform was held in New York for approximately 45 minutes, hosted by H.E. Mr. Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India, with the participation of H.E. Mr. Shinzo Abe, Prime Minister of Japan; H.E. Dr. Angela Merkel, Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany; and H.E. Ms. Dilma Vana Rousseff, President of the Federative Republic of Brazil. The overview of the meeting is as follows. Japanese officials in attendance included Katsunobu Kato, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary; and Ambassador Motohide Yoshikawa, Permanent Representative of Japan to the UN. Indian officials in attendance included H.E. Mrs. Sushma Suwaraj, External Affairs Minister of India; German officials in attendance included H.E. Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of Germany; and Brazilian officials in attendance included H.E. Amb. Mauro Luiz Iecker Vieira, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brazil. After the meeting, a joint press statement (PDF)
was issued. (See attachment for the original text and the provisional Japanese translation).
- The meeting of G4 leaders was held in order to increase momentum in Security Council reform, reflecting the realities of the 21st century. This is the first meeting of G4 leaders to be held in 11 years since 2004, and it was very meaningful that the G4 leaders joined together to clearly express their political determination to pursue Security Council reform, and to reach an agreement on future approaches.
- In the meeting, Prime Minister Abe raised the following points: (1) this year which marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations is a historical opportunity, and the Security Council should be reformed in a way which reflects the realities of the 21st century; (2)in order to promote such reform, it is important that an overwhelming majority of countries, including developing countries in Africa and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) unite in support of this reform, in which the Prime Minister himself has become directly involved; (3)G4 should conduct outreach in order to start true negotiations based on a workable text at the Intergovernmental Negotiations.
- Leaders of the other G4 countries shared their basic recognitions with the Prime Minister, and in the joint press statement after the meeting, the leaders of the G4 agreed to closely cooperate towards the early realization of Security Council reform, and will accelerate their outreach to the reform-oriented member states.
- In particular, the G4 leaders welcomed the adoption by consensus of the UN General Assembly Decision to use the text presented by H.E. Mr. Sam Kahamba Kutesa, President of the 69th General Assembly, as the basis for the Intergovernmental Negotiations, and they concurred on making further efforts to achieve concrete outcomes during the new session of the General Assembly. Notably, the G4 leaders agreed to call their permanent representatives to the UN to hold meetings on a regular basis and to coordinate as needed, as well as to enhance cooperation with reform-oriented countries, such as those from Africa and CARICOM nations towards the realization of the Security Council reform.
- The G4, including Japan, will continue to enhance its efforts to realize reform seizing every possible opportunity, in order to turn the momentum gained through the 70th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations as well as this meeting, into a wave of involvement throughout the international community.