term members. It is strongly opposed to the creation of new permanent seats. Leading this opposition group are Pakistan, Italy and China. The United States is opposed to discussing reform of the Security Council at this time, preferring instead that the U.N. overhaul first its management and bureaucracy and consider creating a new U.N. Human Rights Council to replace the Human Rights Commission in Geneva. The U.S. favours only two new permanent members and has publicly endorsed Japan as one of the two. It has made a series of recommendations for reforming the United Nations, but has not submitted any draft resolution, which is a normal procedure in U.N. debate. Despite U.S. opposition to immediate council reform, the G4 and African Union charged ahead with ideas for a new and enlarged body in which countries around the world would have a voice on world peace and security. --More 0043 Local Time 2143 GMT
