To the Letters Editor, The Times.

In your leader (The Times Saturday 27th May) you supported Tony Blair's forceful speech on UN reform at Georgetown University. Reforms achieved last year at the 60th General Assembly meeting were not enough. The Security Council was not enlarged, while continents remain unrepresented. Mr Blair's support for the addition of Germany, Japan, India and Brazil as new permanent members was proposed but not voted on. This selection would leave the Council even more unbalanced, with three states from Europe and none from Africa.

A more acceptable regional balance would surely be achieved by the High Level Panel's alternative proposal, for new longer-term seats of four or five years, instead of installing more permanent members (with or without the veto). These would be voted on by the states in each region and allow for rotation. Even with additional permanent or longer-term members the Council would still be out of proportion to the growth of the UN membership; any reform should include more short-term (2-year) members, who are already chosen by their regions.

Earlier in his speech the prime Minister said, in relation to globalisation and interdependence, "The rule book of international politics has been torn up". But The 1945 UN Charter remains, a tribute to those nations, especially the US and Britain, who wished to see a more orderly world and to prevent future wars. This was followed by the Declaration of Human Rights and the Geneva Conventions. Until a better system is agreed by the international community we should continue to support these and to work within the UN Charter.

Under the Charter, constitutional changes must have the support of two thirds of those voting, plus the support of each of the permanent members. It is the hope of many that in the long-term the veto will be phased out so that the United Nations bcomes a genuinely democratic institution.

Yours faithfully, Jim Addington (chair) Action for UN Renewal.

May 2006