The so-called Group of Four, aspiring to become permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, are likely to abandon plans to take their resolution to a vote before the end of this month, diplomats and Japanese officials said Tuesday.
Instead, Japan, Brazil, Germany and India are expected to wait for the 53-nation African Union to hold a summit, probably Aug. 4, to debate a possible agreement on a unified resolution.
Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura landed in New York on Tuesday afternoon after talks between Group of Four foreign ministers and African Union representatives in London to brief General Assembly President Jean Ping on the outcome of the talks.
Machimura told reporters after meeting with Ping that the plan to have a vote on the resolution by the end of this month would have to be given up if the African Union decides to hold a summit Aug. 4.