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World|politics|November 21, 2022 / 09:47 AM
UK, France voices support for India, 3 other nations as permanent UNSC members

AKIPRESS.COM - India’s bid for a permanent seat in a reformed United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has received strong support from permanent members. After the United Kingdom, France reiterated its support to Brazil, Germany, India and Japan for the creation of new permanent seats, The Print reported.

Addressing the UN General Assembly plenary meeting on Friday, on the 'Question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council and other matters related to the Security Council’, France’s Deputy Representative to the UN, Nathalie Broadhurst Estival said, “France endorses the candidacy of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan as permanent members for permanent seats.”

"We must indeed take into account the emergence of new powers that are willing and able to assume the responsibility of a permanent presence in the Security Council," Broadhurst said.

“We also want greater representation from African countries including as permanent members of the council as many seats should be distributed to ensure geographical representation,” she added.

In the UNSC, Ambassador Estival stated that the issue of the veto is highly sensitive. She stressed that it is up to the States requesting a permanent seat to decide on the matter.

She further explained that the objective must remain twofold: to consolidate the Council’s legitimacy and to strengthen its capacity to fully assume its responsibilities in the maintenance of international peace and security.

It is in this spirit that France proposed that the five Permanent Council members voluntarily and collectively suspend the use of the veto in cases of mass atrocities. With regard to the Council’s working methods, she reaffirmed the organ’s competence to define them and to emphasize the commitment of the Council’s members to greater transparency, openness and efficiency.

Earlier, the UK also extended its support to India for permanent membership of the UNSC. UK Ambassador to the UN Barbara Woodward said, “We support the creation of new permanent seats for India, Germany, Japan and Brazil, as well as permanent African representation on the Council.”

Woodward stated that the UK also supports an expansion of the non-permanent category of membership, taking the Security Council’s total membership to somewhere in mid-20s.

Woodward said with these changes, the Council would be more representative of the world today. "And, coupled with a renewed commitment to the UN Charter, it would be better able to respond decisively to threats to international peace and security," she said.

The General Assembly opened its annual debate with speakers renewing their appeals for enlarging the 15-member organ and updating its working methods to make it more transparent, inclusive, representative, accountable and effective in a world gripped by a cascade of interlocking crises.

Among the five permanent members of the 15-nation Council, the US, UK, France and Russia have supported a permanent seat for India in the UN body.

India's current two-year term as a non-permanent member of the Security Council will end next month after it has presided over the 15-nation Council.

New Delhi and other G4 nations of Brazil, Germany and Japan have been at the forefront of efforts calling for urgent reform of the Security Council, which has remained deeply divisive in dealing with current challenges.

India has asserted that the Council, in its current form, does not reflect today's geo-political realities and its credibility is at risk if nations such as developing powers like India do not have a permanent seat at the horse-shoe table.

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