LONDON (AP) - John Bolton, America's ambassador to the United Nations, predicted Friday that efforts to greatly expand the Security Council will fail.Bolton's remarks were a rare case of a U.S. official publicly
Bolton, who has made overhauling the United Nations a priority since President Bush appointed him to the job, said the world body must become more efficient, effective and accountable. Making the Security Council too large would undermine that goal, he said.
Increasing the number of seats to 25 or 26 "gives us great pause," he said, adding that the maximum that Washington could support would be 19 or 20 seats.
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Giving his first talk in Europe since taking his post in August, Bolton noted previous efforts to restructure the powerful Security Council had foundered. "Our prediction would be that this latest effort at changing the composition of the council is not going to succeed," he said at the Chatham House foreign affairs think tank.
He reiterated the U.S. administration's support for Japan's bid to become a permanent member of the council, but did not say what other countries America might back. Japan teamed with Brazil, Germany and India in proposing a 25-member council, including six new permanent seats without veto power. All four hope to get a permanent seat and say the two others should go to Africa nations. The African Union, however, has insisted on veto power for its two seats and one additional non-permanent seat.
Another group, led by Italy and Pakistan, also calls for a 25-nation council but argues against making any of the new seats permanent and wants the 10 new members elected.