"Good chance for German seat on Security Council"

Germany, together with other global players like Japan, India and Brazil, has long harbored a desire for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle intends to drive home that message in an address to the General Assembly on Saturday. "Good chance for German seat on Security Council" In an interview with German public broadcaster NDR, aired earlier on Saturday, Westerwelle said he was optimistic about Germany's chances for a seat on the Security Council. "Because Germany is not just economically, but also politically, very dependable, we also have a very good name," the foreign minister said. He added that Germany was "prepared to shoulder the responsibility." Germany is currently in the running with Portugal and Canada for a rotating, two-year, non-permanent seat on the Council. A decision over new members is to be made in October. Berlin would need the votes of two-thirds of the 192 countries in the UN General Assembly. Berlin is pushing hard for the seat, but ultimately is seeking a permanent spot on the Security Council, along with the five current veto powers USA, Britain, France, China and Russia. Westerwelle, on Friday, got support for his wish from Britain's deputy premier Nick Clegg, who said London was "clearly and unequivocally" in favor of a permanent seat for Germany on the UN Security Council. Clegg also advocated that Japan, India, Brazil and a representative from Africa be given permanent seats on the Council. Meanwhile, a former German foreign minister, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who presided over German reunification 20 years ago, has called a permanent German seat an outdated notion. "If we're serious about European unity, then we need a seat for the European Union, while retaining the seats for France and Britain," Genscher said on Saturday in an interview with the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung newspaper. This, however, is not what Westerwelle and his colleagues from India, Japan and Brazil had in mind when they published a joint declaration in New York on Friday to stake their claims to a permanent Security Council seat. In their statement they said a reform of the UN body was "urgently needed" to make it "more representative, legitimate and efficient."

"Good chance for German seat on Security Council"

In an interview with German public broadcaster NDR, aired earlier on Saturday, Westerwelle said he was optimistic about Germany's chances for a seat on the Security Council.

"Because Germany is not just economically, but also politically, very dependable, we also have a very good name," the foreign minister said. He added that Germany was "prepared to shoulder the responsibility."

Germany is currently in the running with Portugal and Canada for a rotating, two-year, non-permanent seat on the Council. A decision over new members is to be made in October. Berlin would need the votes of two-thirds of the 192 countries in the UN General Assembly.

Berlin is pushing hard for the seat, but ultimately is seeking a permanent spot on the Security Council, along with the five current veto powers USA, Britain, France, China and Russia.

Westerwelle, on Friday, got support for his wish from Britain's deputy premier Nick Clegg, who said London was "clearly and unequivocally" in favor of a permanent seat for Germany on the UN Security Council.

Clegg also advocated that Japan, India, Brazil and a representative from Africa be given permanent seats on the Council.

Meanwhile, a former German foreign minister, Hans-Dietrich Genscher, who presided over German reunification 20 years ago, has called a permanent German seat an outdated notion.

"If we're serious about European unity, then we need a seat for the European Union, while retaining the seats for France and Britain," Genscher said on Saturday in an interview with the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung newspaper.

This, however, is not what Westerwelle and his colleagues from India, Japan and Brazil had in mind when they published a joint declaration in New York on Friday to stake their claims to a permanent Security Council seat.

In their statement they said a reform of the UN body was "urgently needed" to make it "more representative, legitimate and efficient."