Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Tuesday urged nations "to calm down" when debating enlargement of the U.N. Security Council, a contentious task he hoped would be resolved in time for a U.N. summit in September. The U.N. General Assembly resumes its debate on Tuesday on a draft resolution submitted by Brazil, Germany, Japan and India that would enlarge the 15-member council by 10 seats. It is the first expansion resolution to come before the Assembly after 12 years of discussion, according to Reuters. But without a compromise with the 53-member African Union, which has a similar proposal, the resolution from the four nations seeking permanent seats has no chance to reach the two-thirds vote needed in the Assembly. A third proposal by some 20 nations would add only 10 nonpermanent seats for varying terms. Debate over the expansion has drawn some undiplomatic language. Pakistan called the four countries which submitted the resolution "seekers of special privileges and power," while Brazil called arguments to delay "beguiling." --More 2257 Local Time 1957 GMT
