India confident about UN security council reform in next two years

India, the sole runner from Asia in the October polls for a two-year term in the UN security council, is confident about the reform of the world body's top organ for its expansion in both permanent and
non-permanent categories in the next two years.

After Kazakhstan's withdrawal from the electoral race earlier this year, India remained the only candidate from Asia for a non-permanent seat on the council, leaving its election a mere formality. The last time India had a seat on the council was in 1992.

Even before the formal elections in October, a top Indian diplomat noted that several countries had been approaching New Delhi on critical international issues and the change was reflected in the increased number of bilateral meetings requested with foreign minister SM Krishna, who arrives here on Tuesday for the annual UN general assembly session. 

"There is a process of co-opting that happens with prospective members in the anticipation of their election" to the UNSC, Hardeep Singh Puri, India's envoy to the UN, told PTI.

"This is a very special year," he said. "We're going to be on the Council after a gap of 19 years and India is ready to take on the responsibility." 

Puri and his team have been canvassing for the spot for the past three years. To win, a country needs two-thirds of the general assembly vote, which adds up to about 128 counties saying yes to its presence in the security council. 

At the same time, India is pushing hard for UN security council reforms to expand the number of permanent and non-permanent seats. 

India, Brazil, Japan and Germany are all seeking a permanent seat on the council, which is viewed as a relic of the post World War II power dynamics. 

Puri expressed confidence that this change could happen in the next two years during which India would already be on the council.

"It is widely expected that council reform will take place during the (present) 65th session," he said, noting that such a development would put India on a "firmer and long-term" footing.

However, no clear picture has yet emerged as to how a new Council would look like.

The United States, for instance, favours Japan in the council but has not yet come out openly for India.

Earlier this year, US under secretary for political affairs William Burns recognised New Delhi as a major global player but stopped short of endorsing its bid for a permanent seat on the council -- which currently has five permanent members and 10 non-permanent ones.

"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 had said.

Despite the uncertainty about the nature of reform, Indian diplomats asserted that council reform would be redundant if India was excluded, and they underlined that the position would be vigorously pursued.

"We will be in," said Puri.

During the coming week, Krishna and environment minister Jairam Ramesh would be attending several high-level meetings
at the United Nations on critical international issues ranging from the Millennium Development Goals to biodiversity.

Both ministers are scheduled to have bilateral meetings with their counterparts from several member states of the UN.