EU proposed for single seat

The European Union should have a single seat on a reformed United Nations Security Council to boost its weight in world affairs, incoming European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said yesterday.

"If you really want the EU to be recognised as an international player on an equal footing with other international players, then that is necessary," the new Commissioner, who is outgoing Austrian foreign minister, told a European Parliament confirmation hearing.

"The Security Council does not represent today's realities," Ms Ferrero-Waldner told parliament's foreign affairs committee.

But she hastened to add that her idea was a long-term vision, not an immediate proposal to replace Britain and France, the two EU powers with permanent seats on the 15-member council.

"This is a long-term view with regard to the UN seat," she told reporters.

"Of course it's not for tomorrow. If one is consequent - and I want to be a consequent person - we have to speak with one voice also in the UN Security Council."

Her comments may nevertheless irritate London and Paris, which both support giving Germany a permanent seat in a reform of the highest UN decision-making body but have resisted any move to yield their own seats on the top table.

The other permanent members with veto power are the United States, Russia and China.

The 25-nation EU is in the process of developing a common foreign and security policy, to be represented by an EU foreign minister once a constitution agreed in June is ratified, but on many key issues it has no joint position.

EU states were deeply divided last year over the US-led invasion of Iraq, with Britain and France on opposite sides.

A panel of eminent persons is drawing up proposals for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to reform the world body, including the Security Council, created almost 60 years ago amid the ruins of World War Two.

UN officials say the experts are working on a three-tier proposal to expand the council to a maximum of 24 nations, with a new class of seven or eight semi-permanent members including Germany, Japan, Brazil and India.

The other 10 nations would rotate for two-year terms as they do at present.