NEW YORK (Kyodo) U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. John Bolton said Thursday reforming management, not restructuring the Security Council, should be the world body's priority.
"I know there are a lot of proposals for Security Council reform, none of which we've endorsed and none of which we see as commanding two-thirds support in the General Assembly," Bolton told a news conference.
"We think it's better now to focus on the management and program reviews and just continue consultations, as we are, for example, particularly with Japan on how to obtain a permanent seat for them."
Bolton said intense debates on Security Council reform, especially over the last year, have overshadowed discussions in other areas of reform that needed to be addressed. He said the issue had "sucked the oxygen out of negotiations on other reforms."
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan earlier this week presented his management reform proposals to the General Assembly. He also is expected to lay out his views later this month on a review of the rules and regulations that govern the international body.
"Those (management) reforms, taken together, really should have priority over further work on Security Council reform," Bolton said. "That's a view we've really held since last year."
Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Taro Aso called on a group of ambassadors to Japan from Africa to back Japan's reforms for the council.