In addition, the draft formally introduced Monday, calls for an additional five non-permanent seats in the council to increase its membership from 15 to 26.

The AU measure also calls for two permanent and one non-permanent, or elected, seats for the Asian States; one elected seat for Eastern European States; one permanent seat and one non-permanent seat for Latin American and Caribbean States and one permanent seat for the Western European and other States.

It was the second proposal on council expansion put before the 191-member assembly in as many weeks. The first, while also calling for six-new permanent members, defers for 15 years the question of whether they should have a veto as do the present permanent five of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

Also, the first, presented by the Group of Four, Brazil, Germany, India and Japan, or G4, while not assigning seats geographically does call for at least one of the six new seats for Africa.

If voted on now the G4 and the AU measures appear doomed to defeat.

The United States, which has endorsed only Japan for a permanent seat, opposes any council reform resolution just yet. It says there are more pressing reforms needed for the United Nations that should be worked out first. Later, council reform could be tackled.

Although Washington normally cannot stop a measure in the assembly while it can in the council with its right to veto, any change in the U.N. Charter must be carried by a two-thirds majority in the assembly, including positive votes by the P5.

So, why is Africa pressing ahead, even after learning Washington's position?

Because, apparently, after years of colonization, turmoil and bad governance, Africans feel the continent is on the mend and with memories of the Group of Eight summit and the Live8 concerts, both of which sought to help Africa, still fresh, Africans think it's the right time now more than ever to redress historical injustices.

The AU proposal was introduced by Ambassador Aminu Bashir Wali of Nigeria, the current president of the 53-member African Union.

He said the council had to adapt to current realities by reflecting the principles of equity and balance. It could not be otherwise, given the panel had the responsibility to maintain international peace and security. If the council was truly representative of the entire membership, then its decisions would enjoy greater legitimacy.

At the recent AU summit in Sirte, Libya, the African Union resolved to work to that end.

The AU's draft proposed a distribution of seats in both the permanent and non-permanent categories to ensure more representation by developing countries, Wali said. It also sought to give new members privileges equal to their new responsibilities.

The Abuja envoy said Africa was open to negotiations, but to be productive, states must have certain fundamentals in mind, such as Africa has no permanent presence on the council.

The reference to negotiations was not to a promise, but to a fact.

Foreign Minister Oluyemi Adeniji of Nigeria Sunday, the eve of introduction of the AU measure, was in New York with other AU ministers to begin negotiations with G4 ministers. While the talks were continuing through this week, they were carried out at the ambassadorial level. Ministers went home

Negotiators were to report back to the foreign ministers in Geneva next Monday.

Ambassador Maged Abdelaziz of Egypt said while African issues dominated more than 60 per cent of the council's agenda, several practices and historical factors had deprived the continent of representation in the permanent category of membership.

"The time had come to redress that situation and for Africa to regain its legitimate rights, with a view to enhancing both the legitimacy and effectiveness of the council's actions," he said.

Ambassador Abdallah Baali of Algeria told the assembly Africa was seeking to remedy a historical injustice.

The African approach to council reform reflected the continent's aspirations to make the council more reflective of today's realities, as opposed to when the United Nations was established.

Underscoring the basic elements of the African position, the Algiers envoy said the two permanent seats must be equipped with the right to veto.

He explained that while African countries had taken a fundamental view against the veto they came around to decide that as long as the current permanent members had that right, African should also have it.

"Either the veto should be abolished or it should be granted to new permanent members," he said. "Without the right to veto, new permanent members would not have an impact on the process of events or modify the relationship of force, which would remain dominated by the five permanent members.

"The key quality that came with permanent seats was not the permanence of the seat, but the privileges it provided," Baali said.

His nation was ready to work for a final decision on council reform before September, when about 170 heads of state and government gather at U.N. World Headquarters in New York for an unprecedented summit to reform the world organization while marking its 60th anniversary.

"The status quo is not acceptable," he said.

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