India pitches for UNSC seat

Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh shakes hands with United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan prior to a meeting in New Delhi yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

India's case was put forward by Foreign Minister Natwar Singh during talks with UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who last month outlined ambitious proposals for overhauling the 191-member world body.

The meeting was the second between the two men in a week.

Singh and Annan exchanged views in Jakarta last Thursday where they had gathered for an Asia-Africa summit.

Besides Singh, Annan was to hold a spate of meetings with India's President Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the leader of the opposition, Lal Krishna Advani.

Annan set the agenda for his four-day visit after his arrival Monday, saying he hoped to discuss UN reforms with Indian leaders.

"We believe there cannot be security without development and there cannot be development without security," he told reporters.

The expansion of the Security Council is by far the most sensitive reform Annan has outlined.

Annan has offered two models, with the first suggesting the addition of six new members to the existing five permanent powers: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States. The second proposes adding a third tier of semi-permanent members to the council.

Brazil, Germany, India and Japan have launched a joint bid to win prestigious permanent seats, whose veto-wielding privilege dates from World War II.

India says its one-billion-plus population, its role as the world's biggest democracy and surging economy entitles it to a permanent place at the Security Council table with full veto powers and it has said the makeup of the Security Council "represents 1945 and not 2005."

Earlier this month, Annan said UN members should be ready to push through plans to expand the Security Council at a summit in September even without unanimous support.

"Ideally we should take that decision by consensus but if a consensus appears not to be possible, it should not be an excuse for inaction," Annan said.

Indian analysts described such talk "as music to India's ears."

"But the UN chief can only make these proposals, it's up to the member countries to decide how to proceed," said C. Uday Bhaskar, interim head of the Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses.

"My view is that India should stake its claim in a dispassionate manner and see how it goes," he said.

Recently, New Delhi sent special envoys to Asian and African countries to garner support for its candidature, citing also its status as a founder member of the world body and its participation in UN peacekeeping efforts.