Majority Wants UN Security Council Permanent Membership Expanded: India's Envoy

United Nations: India has said a majority of the UN members support the expansion of the permanent and non-permanent membership of the Security Council.

Participating in the informal meeting of the Plenary on the Intergovernmental negotiations on the question of equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said, "We have heard many refer to the need for respect for democratic expressions. Will those who are speaking of democracy be ready to accept this democratic expression listed in a GA (General Assembly) document.

On the issue of Categories of Membership, a total of 113 Member States, out of 122 who submitted their positions in the Framework Document, support expansion in both of the existing categories, he said.

"In short, more than 90 per cent of the written submissions in the document are in favour of expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories of membership of the Council.

"We have heard many refer to the need for respect for democratic expressions. Will those who are speaking of democracy be ready to accept this democratic expression listed in a GA (General Assembly) document," he said.

Similarly, on the issue of Regional Representation, India noted that the majority of Member States have called in their submissions for equitable geographical representation and need for addressing the non-representation and under-representation of some regions in the permanent and non-permanent category.

Akbaruddin cited the example of the Asia-Pacific group, where 52 states are vying for 2 non-permanent seats, while in the West European & Other Group states there are 25 members in the pool vying for 2 seats.

"Put another way, there are more than 3 billion of we the people' from Asia-Pacific seeking representation through 2 seats with a 2-year term, while people' from no other region face such daunting challenges in seeking to be represented equitably, he said.

Akbaruddin reiterated India's support for representation of Africa in the Council in both categories of UNSC membership as well as support for further consideration of cross-regional representation arrangements to ensure that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) find adequate avenues for representation in a reformed Council.