US says India to be 'central part' of UN Security Council reform

The US has said India would play a "central part" in the UN Security Council's (UNSC) reform process, but stopped short of publicly endorsing the country's bid for a permanent seat in the world body's top organ.

"We recognise, very clearly, India's increasing global role. We recognise the importance of reform of the UN Security Council; we're open to expansion of permanent membership of the council and we believe that India's going to have a central part to play in the consideration that's going to come of that reform of the UN Security Council," under secretary of state for political affairs, William Burns, said.

However, he did not publicly endorse India for the permanent membership of the UNSC.

It is obvious that the UN Security Council, as has been the case with other parts of international architecture over the last few years, is an issue that needs to be addressed so that it reflects the realities of 2010, Burns said at the Council on Foreign Relations, a Washington-based think-tank yesterday.

"Now, obviously, we want to try to do that in a way which is going to preserve the effectiveness of the Security Council, but this administration has made clear not only its openness to reform and some expansion of permanent membership in the Security Council, but we've also underscored the importance we attached to India's role," he argued.

"So I think India's going to be a central part of the consideration that is bound to come of Security Council reform," he said, adding: "I do very much understand the significance of Security Council reform. I think it's an important issue for the United States to address and I think India's going to be very much a part of that process."

Burns said there has already been considerable movement in a number of other areas -- the emergence of the G-20 in the
wake of a global financial crisis and ad-hoc groups, whether it is the P-5 plus one or the six-party talks on the North Korean nuclear issue that have assumed increasing importance.

"So on Security Council reform it's an issue that this administration recognises as extremely important. We want to go about it in a way that's going to preserve the effectiveness of the Security Council, but we also recognise that that means that the realities of 1945 (when the UN was formed) don't apply today.

"And that means that for countries like India and for other countries, we need very much to consider how their increasing role in global affairs is matched by the responsibilities that they can discharge in the most important parts of the international architecture," Burns said in response to a question.

He also praised India's strong track record in the field of nuclear non-proliferation, saying the country has a very important role to play in achieving the goals of US president Barack Obama in this regard.

"I think the best thing that we and India could continue to do is follow through on the agreement and then look for other opportunities to demonstrate our shared commitment to curbing the spread of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction and improving the safety and security of existing nuclear material sites," Burns said.