India won’t accept veto-less UNSC seat

Staff Report

NEW DELHI: India said on Thursday that it would not accept the permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) without veto power.

It was reported that a high-level panel formed to recommend reforms at the UN had suggested granting India and other contending countries a permanent UNSC seat, but without veto power.

Reacting to the report, Natwar Singh, Indian external affairs minister, told Rajya Sabha (the upper house of the Indian parliament) that although the report was ‘speculative’, India would not accept any such move. “Without a veto, I do not think it will be acceptable to the country,” Mr Singh said responding to questions. He said the UN knew India’s views on a permanent UNSC seat for itself. He said India, Japan, Brazil and Germany were supporting India in this regard. He said the Security Council’s expansion was an “extremely complicated issue with wide ramifications”. Mr Singh said India would like Africa to be represented in the council. The minister said New Delhi would wait for the reforms report from the UN secretary general, which would be submitted to him today (Friday). E Ahamed, the minister of state for external affairs, said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during his recent visit to New York held discussions with the heads of the governments of the United States, South Africa, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Home | National