Security Council reform should not stop with India: Brazil

Brazil today welcomed US President Barack Obama's support of India's bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, but called for the elite decision-making body to include other emerging countries as well.

 "It is very positive that President Obama mentioned India because that shows that he has an open mind in relation to developing countries," Brazilian foreign minister Celso Amorim told journalists.

"But apart from that, any reform of the United Nations can't be done with only one country," he said.

Amorim was speaking during a two-day visit to Mozambique by outgoing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a stop en route to this week's G20 summit in South Korea.

"I am very happy for India, which is a good partner of Brazil," Amorim said.

"The fact that he is mentioning India by name, that the US are accepting a developing country, pulls the door open for other big emerging countries like Brazil or others in Africa."

Obama said yesterday at the close of a three-day visit to India that the world's largest democracy should take its "rightful" place as a permanent member at the Security Council.

Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States are the 15-seat UN body's only permanent members, and the only with veto power.

Other countries have for years been lobbying to reform the Security Council's membership structure.

India, Brazil, Germany, Japan and South Africa are often named as credible candidates, but analysts say reform is unlikely to come soon.