Dozens of nations back French appeal to limit use of U.N. veto

France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius speaks at the U.N. Security Council meeting on counter-terrorism during the United Nations General Assembly at the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York September 30, 2015. REUTERS/Darren Ornitz

UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Dozens of nations signed on to a French proposal on Wednesday that the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council refrain from exercising their veto in cases of mass atrocities and genocide.

Some 75 countries in Europe, Africa, Latin America and Asia backed the proposal, and French officials say they expect more nations to join. There are 193 U.N. member nations.