UNITED NATIONS: Pakistan reiterated on Thursday its opposition to increase in permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council, saying that years of debate had shown that individual permanent membership was not a realistic option and that this demand was hampering the reform process.

Ambassador Masood Khan, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the UN, said in his statement at the 10th round of inter-governmental negotiations that “we should not entrench the outdated dispensation of 1945, but work out a modern, democratic and flexible system which is attuned to the present day realities and responsive to a dynamic future”. He said the Uniting For Consensus (UFC) was opposed, in principle, to addition of new individual permanent members to the council.

Mr Khan argued that the topic of discussion, categories of membership, was not a self-standing issue and that it was directly linked to the overall UN reform process. He said this round of reform was to lead to transparency, inclusive and democratic decision-making, improved working methods, and restoration of the balance between the General Assembly and the Security Council. “A reformed council would be more effective and accountable”, he added.