New Delhi: Pressing for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, India on Friday said there were "obstacles" and "road-blocks" in this and asked the five permanent members to "revise" their concepts on basic reforms of the world body to reflect current global realities.
Three days after India was elected as a non-permanent
member of the Security Council, External Affairs Minister S M
Krishna said it marks the "finest hour" for the country and
provides a "foothold" in the world body.
He pitched for reorganisation of the Security Council,
saying the world has undergone major changes since the world
body was founded in 1945 and there are "credible nations"
around who should be in it.
"There are obstacles and road-blocks. These cannot be
wished away. So we have to keep pursuing relentlessly," the
minister said.
He said the victory at the UN when India got 187 of
190 votes reflects recognition of India`s standing in the
global arena.
Krishna said the permanent members of the Security
Council -- the US, Russia, China, Britain and France -- "will
have to revisit their concept on bringing about basic reforms
(in the UNSC) we want".
The silver lining, he said, is that text-based
negotiations on UN reforms have begun and there is hope that
these will yield some dividends.
On India`s entry into Security Council as a
non-permanent member, he said the country will have "awesome
responsibilities" and it will have to live up to expectations.
PTI
