UNITED NATIONS — Four regional powers hoping to get permanent seats on the Security Council — India, Germany, Brazil and Japan — said Friday they believe the UN will take action by September on expanding its most powerful body.
Despite more than 30 years of failed efforts to reform the 15-member council, ministers of the so-called Group of Four expressed optimism that "a concrete outcome" can be achieved during the current session of the 192-member UN General Assembly which ends in early September.
Brazil's Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota said the four countries were "testing different ideas" on enlarging the council with new permanent and non-permanent members to find a formula that will get "the widest possible acceptance — about two-thirds support."
The four countries said in a joint statement after talks on the sidelines of a Security Council meeting that they would work with other countries in the coming weeks and months "in a spirit of flexibility" to reach agreement on a reform plan.
