India seeks continuation of inter-govt talks on UNSC reform

United Nations, Nov 9 (PTI) India has sought continuation of the inter-governmental negotiations at the United Nations on the reform of the 15-member powerful Security Council, including expansion of both its permanent and non-permanent seats and improvement of its working methods. In his address to the 66th session of the UN General Assembly, Indian delegate H K Dua said India was among the originators of an initiative on a short resolution launched earlier this year calling for the Security Council reform that includes expansion in both its permanent and non-permanent categories and improvement on its working methods. "India played an important role in ensuring that the process of inter-governmental negotiations on Security Council reform was initiated and has played an active role in the deliberations ever since their commencement in 2009. "We supported the start of text-based negotiations in 2010 and have already stated our clear support for the third revision of the negotiation text," Dua said. In his statement on the 'Question of equitable representation on and increase in membership of the Security Council and other related matters', Dua noted that an overwhelming majority of UN member-states, including more than 80 delegations which have done so in writing, have expressed their firm support for the ongoing initiative on UN reforms and expansion. "In addition, the short resolution has also attracted verbal assurances of support from a number of other countries as well," he said. India is a member of two groupings devoted to early reform of the Security Council, namely the G-4 and the L-69. Dua said the positions of the two groups have a number of common elements with other groups and member-states which have made proposals on the subject. "We are keen to enhance our convergences with such other like-minded groups during this General Assembly session, in particular with the African Group whose aspirations we support," Dua said. The G-4 comprises of India, Brazil, Japan and Germany. The L-69 is a diverse group of 40 countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific, which have come together seeking lasting and comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council. India has been stressing on the need for a comprehensive reform of the UN Security Council to create an equitable system that is reflective of current realities. In his address to the UN General Assembly in September, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had said the world needed a stronger and more effective United Nations "that is sensitive to the aspirations of everyone rich or poor, big or small. "For this, the United Nations and its principal organs, the General Assembly and the Security Council, must be revitalised and reformed." PTI