Making a strong pitch for comprehensive reforms in the UN Security Council, India has cautioned that deferring a decision on the issue would only erode the credibility of the world body’s top organ.
It made it clear that institutions of global governance cannot remain chained to the balance of power that existed in 1945.
“It is imperative that we make genuine and rapid progress on the issue of UNSC reforms, without which the whole process of UN reform would be incomplete,” Indian delegation representative, Manish Tewari, told the UN General Assembly.
Stating that the present economic crisis reflected the international institutions did not represent global realities, he urged the General Assembly to immediately resume inter-governmental negotiations on reforms.
“The most obvious way to achieve such a result is to immediately convene the negotiations and build on the progress achieved during the negotiations thus far,” said Mr. Tewari, a Congress MP.
“Let us be clear, pushing this decision into the future does not solve the problem, it merely enhances an erosion of the credibility and legitimacy of the Council,” he said.
India is part of the G-4 along with Japan, Brazil and Germany as its members who favour expansion of UNSC in both permanent and non-permanent categories. They are seeking six more permanent seats in addition to the existing five and four more non-permanent berths to take their number to 19.