United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said last night the 15-member Security Council needed to be expanded.
Mr Annan would like the UN General Assembly to make a decision on the matter before a UN summit in September.
"I think we all have to admit that the council can be more democratic and more representative," Mr Annan said. "There is a democracy deficit in the UN governance that has to be corrected."
"Of course it is up to the members to determine whether they will let size trump democracy and representativeness," Mr Annan said, adding that the United Nations went "around the world lecturing everybody about democracy.
"I think it is about time we apply it to ourselves and ensure there is effective representation," he said.
Germany, Brazil, Japan and India are mounting a diplomatic offensive to get critical African support for their bid for an expanded UN Security Council by 10 seats. Without the 53 votes from the African Union (AU), their plan is doomed.
Foreign ministers from the four, contenders for permanent council seats, hope for a meeting on Sunday or Monday in New York with their counterparts from Nigeria and Ghana, representing the AU, if it appears there is a chance for a compromise.
The council has permanent seats for the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France - the World War II victors. A further 10 nations on the 15-seat council rotate for two-year terms.
The United States, Russia and China oppose enlargement now but France and Britain support the resolution by the four contenders as do many Europeans.
Germany, Japan, Brazil and India have introduced a General Assembly resolution to add six permanent seats to the council, four for themselves and two for Africa, and four nonpermanent seats for a total of 25. A decision on whether to grant new members veto rights would be put off for 15 years.
The AU has decided on the same number of permanent seats, but wants five nonpermanent seats for a total of 26. The AU also insists on the veto rights, which the four aspirants dropped because of lack of support.