Italy, Mexico, and Pakistan lobbied for a UN Security Council reform plan that would add eight semi-permanent seats to the powerful body and divide them among nations from Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas.

Officials from the three nations, joined by the Republic of Korea (ROK), Spain and a handful of other countries, said they would push their plan for as long as it takes - putting them on a collision course with Brazil, Germany, India and Japan who are pushing a rival plan to add six permanent seats to the council.

Last month, Secretary-General Kofi Annan unveiled a plan for the most sweeping reform of the United Nations in its 60-year history to deal with the challenges of the 21st century and urged world leaders to adopt the package as a whole at a summit in September. But during three days of speeches last week, many countries said they don't want to be rushed or forced to accept the entire plan.

The officials who spoke on Monday have dubbed their group "Uniting for Consensus."

They represent nations that have become the latest to reject Annan's plea to come up with a deal before the September summit.

"We will continue our efforts to convince those who are still unconvinced," said Inam ul Haque, a special envoy to Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf. "Now, whether we can achieve this consensus today or a month hence or three months hence, I cannot tell you."

Haque was one of several high-level officials sent by their home governments to endorse the plan.
 
He was joined by Italian Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini; Mexico's vice-minister for foreign affairs, Patricia Olamendi, and ranking officials from Albania, Argentina, Colombia, ROK, San Marino and Spain.

The meeting at a New York hotel was yet another reminder of the difficulty Annan will have in winning acceptance for his reform package. The plan must navigate the competing demands of 191 UN member states, many of whom have already come out strongly for and against several proposals.

(China Daily April 13, 2005)