US for consensus on 'modest' expansion of UN Security Council provided it does not alter or expand the veto

Speaking about India's presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of August, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price stated that the US values "working with India at the United Nations, including in the context this month of the Security Council."

Washington: Amid India's push for UN Security Council reforms, the US has said it supports building a consensus for a "modest" expansion of the Council for both permanent and non-permanent members, provided it does not diminish its effectiveness or its efficacy and does not alter or expand the veto.

When asked about India's presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of August, State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference on Thursday that the US values "working with India at the United Nations, including in the context this month of the Security Council."

We support building a consensus for modest enlargement of the Security Council for both permanent and non-permanent members, provided it does not diminish its effectiveness or its efficacy and does not alter or expand the veto, Price said. He was responding to a question on whether the Biden administration thinks that India should be a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

"We believe that a reformed Security Council that is representative, that is effective, and that is relevant is in the best interest of the United States and all of the UN member states," Price said. "And we look forward to the opportunity to work very closely with India in the context of the Security Council in the coming weeks, he said. India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.

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India in June asserted that the Inter-Governmental Negotiations (IGN) on UN Security Council reforms can no longer be used as a smokescreen, as the General Assembly decided to roll over the IGN work to the next UNGA session and agreed to include an amendment proposed by the G4 nations of Brazil, Germany, India and Japan. The next UNGA session will begin in September.

At present, the UNSC comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent member countries which are elected for a two-year term by the General Assembly of the United Nations.

The five permanent members are Russia, the UK, China, France and the United States and these countries can veto any substantive resolution. There has been growing demand to increase the number of permanent members to reflect the contemporary global reality. The US, Price said, has a number of shared values and shared interests with their Indian counterparts and Indian partners.

Indeed, we have a comprehensive strategic partnership with India that unites us on many levels that we are seeking to deepen and strengthen on many levels as well. "And we are very much looking forward to working very closely with the Indian Government in the context of the UN and the Security Council this month, Price said.

PTI