Britain is backing South Africa, Japan, Brazil and India for permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council, Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in an interview broadcast.
He added that there was no question of a European Union seat on the UN body, nor was there any prospect of Britain giving up its own permanent seat, and veto, on the Security Council.
“We think, very clearly, that the South Africas of this world, the Japans of this world, the Brazils of this world, the Indias of this world, have a very clear claim (for a permanent seat), and we will be arguing for UN reform,” Miliband told the BBC on Tuesday.
Asked about whether Britain wanted Germany to gain permanent membership, Miliband did not address the question, though a British foreign ministry spokesman later told AFP: “The UK supports Security Council seats for the so-called G4 of Japan, Germany, Brazil and India, and for Africa.”
Miliband said that he would give a speech at the United Nations in New York on Friday focusing on global inequalities, one of which he said was an inequality of power.
“I think its perfectly legitimate for you to say that Britain is a privileged member of the UN as a result of our membership to the Security Council,” he said.
“I think others have got a strong claim to join us there.”
Asked whether there was any prospect of Britain giving up its permanent seat on the Security Council, or the European Union gaining a seat of its own, Miliband responded: “There is no question of an EU seat on the Security Council.”