UNITED NATIONS, June 11: The G-4 – Japan, Germany, India and Brazil seeking permanent seats in the UN Security Council _ indicated on Friday that they could delay vote on their framework resolution until after the 53-member African Union summit scheduled for July in Libya.

“Hopefully it will be in June ... on the other hand things are flexible and may change,” Germany’s Ambassador Guenter Pleuger told reporters following a 45 minute meeting with the U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Diplomats here said that a delay in the vote would indicate the four candidates were not sure of getting the necessary two thirds votes in the 191 UN General Assembly.

The Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima said a final decision had not been made on when to hold a vote, saying some nations genuinely sought more discussion time.

“And there are others who are interested in having no action taken — who would like to see this postponed and postponed and no action taken,” Mr Oshima said.

The G-4, which wants permanent seats on the council, unveiled a plan that would enlarge the UN Security Council from 15 to 25 seats. In a major compromise they have agreed to forgo veto powers enjoyed by the P-5 —China, Britain, Russia, France and the United States.

But the first and most crucial vote IN the UN General Assembly will be on a framework resolution outlining a structure for the council.

The United for Consensus group led by Italy, Pakistan, Spain, Mexico, Algeria ,South Korea and Argentina have submitted an alternate plan which stipulates adding non -permanent seats in the Council giving regional groups more say in choosing their candidates to serve on the Security Council. The UFC seeks to make the Council more transparent, democratic and representative without creating what they call more spheres of influence.

China has clearly called for more consensus and time for such reform and the United States which has not taken a clear position has indicated it would oppose Germany’s bid for a seat in the Council and has called for more time.

The 53 African nations who form a formidable chunk of UN General Assembly’s membership recently told the G- 4 that they have not reached a decision on their candidates for the UN Security Council and their votes either way could make or break the framework resolution.

Conceding that African vote was crucial German and Indian ambassadors said: “A few days this way or that way do not matter.”

However, they asserted that a little delay in vote on the framework resolution would not affect much their overall plan to get the three resolutions adopted by the Assembly much before the September summit of world leaders at the United Nations.

The expansion of the Security council will proceed in three steps. . The first, which must be approved by at least two-thirds of the 191-seat General Assembly, calls for six additional permanent seats, including two from Africa, and four non-permanent ones. It would deny veto rights to new permanent members but allow the current five council powers to keep them.

If that is adopted by a two-thirds majority, another vote would be held to select new members. Should the second resolution pass, a change in the U.N. Charter is necessary and this must be approved by national legislatures.

But according to the UN Charter any of the current five permanent council members who have veto powers, have an option to kill any proposal with a no vote when it comes up for their approval.