Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns made the rounds at the United Nations to impress on delegates Washington's firm opposition to any vote at this time.

He travelled to the UN as Brazil, Germany, India and Japan were locked in intensive negotiations with an 18-member African Union (AU) team to reconcile their rival draft resolutions on how best to secure permanent council membership for the so-called G4 as well as for two African countries.

"I am here to indicate to the UN secretariat as well as to many of the member countries and regional groupings the strong US support for the UN," he said.

Pointing to rumours of a vote this week or the next on a council expansion draft, Burns said: "We think that's too soon, we think that it's divisive and we would rather see that debate be extended. It's a very complex debate. It's been under way for 10 years. We can wait for a couple more months."

The G4 has submitted a draft in the 191-member General Assembly that seeks to boost Council membership from 15 to 25, with six new permanent seats without veto power, including two for Africa, and four non-permanent seats.

A rival draft by the 53-member AU calls for a 26-member Security Council, with six new permanent seats with veto power, including two for Africa, and five non-permanent seats, including two for Africa.

"We're open to expansion," Burns said. "But we actually think that we can't put the cart before the horse, that the institution here is badly in need of reform and those reforms should be considered first and a Security Council expansion would be taken later."

He highlighted the need for UN management reform, including the need to improve accountability, integrity and effectiveness in the wake of the oil-for-food fiasco.

He also recalled other US priorities, including creation of a Peace Building Commission for nations emerging from conflict and of a Human Rights Council to replace the existing, largely discredited Human Rights Commission.

"We would like to see in the future perhaps a modest expansion because we worry about a big bang expansion that might undercut and depreciate the effectiveness of the council," Burns said.

Washington favours 20 Security Council members and only two new permanent seats, one for Japan and the other to an unidentified developing nation.

Asked why, in view of the warming US-Indian ties illustrated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's US visit, Washington was not backing New Delhi's bid, Burns said: " We certainly agree with the general proposition that India's rising role in the world is such that institutions like the United Nations will need to accommodate a greater role for India."

"But we are not yet prepared to make a decision, much less make an announcement about supporting any additional country beyond Japan... And I don't see us changing our position."

At present, only the so-called Big Five permanent members -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- have the right of veto within the council, which also has 10 rotating non-permanent members without veto power.