UNITED NATIONS, Sept 24 (AFP) - Egypt on Friday pressed Africa's case for permanent seats on a reformed UN Security Council and said it deserved to be considered for a place itself.
Egypt is "eminently qualified to assume permanent responsibilities" on an expanded council, Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said in a speech to the UN General Assembly.
"We believe that such membership can take place on the basis of a system of rotation with our African brothers to fill the additional seats which are to be allocated to our continent (or) regional group," he said.
South Africa and Nigeria have also said they would like to be considered for a permanent seat on the council, should one be allocated to Africa if and when the structure of the council is reformed.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has appointed a high-level panel on changes to the United Nations which is due to give him a report in December.
Annan would like to study its proposals and then come to the UN General Assembly, which groups all 191 UN member states, with concrete recommendations next year.
Brazil, Germany, India and Japan this week announced a joint bid for four permanent seats on a reformed council, and said an African nation should also have permanent status.
Reform of the council is one of the trickiest questions at the United Nations and has been debated for years.
The council has had the same five permanent members with veto power -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- since the United Nations was established in the wake of World War II.
Ten other nations are elected as non-permanent members for two-year terms each.