§ Mr. WinnickTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on discussions he has had on the United Kingdom's permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggReform and revitalisation of United Nations institutions and the United Nations secretariat is a current subject of discussions in New York and in various bilateral and other meetings. The United Nations special committee on the charter regularly discusses Security Council reform at its meetings. Cuba and Libya have been active in recent years in pressing the case for abolition of the veto. The wish of Japan, currently a Security Council member, to become a permanent member is well known. At Maastricht, we agreed that Britain and France, as permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, will in the execution of their functions ensure the defence of the positions and the interests of the union without prejudice to their responsibilities under the provisions of the United Nations charter.