Tokyo, April 18
New US ambassador to Japan Thomas Schieffer today said that Washington still supported Japan’s bid to be a permanent member of the Security Council, despite balking at a deadline to expand the UN body.
“Not only do I personally support Japan’s bid on the United Nations Security Council, more importantly my government supports that,” Schieffer said.
“We believe, at the end of the day, whatever reforms occur at the United Nations, Japan ought to be on the Security Council,” he said.
The United States on April 7 declined to endorse a proposal by UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to set a September deadline for action on long-mulled reforms, dealing a setback to momentum for historic changes.
— AFP
