New York- German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Tuesday renewed Germany's efforts to gain a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, the organization's top body. Merkel said she would use her address before the UN General Assembly Tuesday evening to relaunch Germany's bid. After more than 24 years of talk about reforming the UN Security Council, it was time to make a move, she said.
"Germany is prepared to take more responsibility," Merkel said during a breakfast meeting with reporters in New York. "Something has to be done now."
Merkel also threatened tougher sanctions on Iran if it refused to suspend its nuclear programme and continued to make threats against Israel.
Germany's last effort to get a permanent seat collapsed two years ago, as part of a joint bid with Brazil, India and Japan. Merkel's predecessor Gerhard Schroeder had also told the General Assembly of Germany's aspirations in a 2003 address.
Only five countries - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - have had permanent seats on the Security Council and the power to veto all resolutions since its inception more than 60 years ago. There are 10 non-permanent seats on the council, which rotate every two years between member countries.
Merkel said the Security Council's composition no longer represented the realities of the world.
In Europe, Italy resisted Germany's bid for a permanent seat last time around, and the US also refused to support it, but the German government hopes that the situation has since changed in its favour. A possible compromise being floated is that Germany will take a seat for 10 years.
Merkel had strong words for Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who will speak shortly before her in the General Assembly Tuesday. Merkel spoke of a historic reponsibility of Germany for Israel's right to exist, and said that was something she would make clear in her speech.
"The security of Israel is not negotiable," Merkel said.
Merkel threatened tougher economic sanctions against Iran if it did not change course, but would not be more specific on what those sanctions might include.
