UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The presence of India and other key regional powers on the Security Council starting this week gives the U.N.'s most powerful body more credibility and legitimacy because it now reflects the world in the 21st century, India's U.N. ambassador said Tuesday.
Hardeep Singh Puri said the election of India, South Africa and Germany to two-year terms, joining Brazil and Nigeria who were elected last year, puts five important countries that have been campaigning for council reform and permanent seats on the 15-member body at the same time.
He said in an Associated Press interview that the aspirants to permanent membership have the opportunity to demonstrate to the five current permanent members — the U.S., Russia, China, Britain and France — and to countries against council reform that they can work effectively on global issues of peace and security.
"I’m not suggesting it’s a dress rehearsal, but certainly it can provide a comfort level," Puri said. "They might just discover that these newcomers on the Security Council are actually more effective partners than those with whom they have been sitting for the last five decades."
Ten of the Security Council’s 15 seats are filled by regional groups for two-year stretches, with five elected each year. The other five seats are occupied by the council’s veto-wielding permanent members.
Since 1979, the U.N. has been talking about expanding the council. But every proposal has been rejected, primarily because of rivalries between countries and regions more concerned about their own self-interests than the improved functioning of the United Nations.
For the first time this year, the council has a unique membership of global powers and important emerging countries: India and China in Asia, South Africa and Nigeria in Africa and the biggest economic powers in Latin America and Europe, Brazil and Germany. Japan, which also aspires to a permanent seat, left the council in December after a two-year term.
"We want to demonstrate to our partners first of all that we are on the same page," he said. "We’re not interested in gridlock. … If there are differences of perception, those are only of nuance, and you will find that when we participate in the deliberations of the council we will do this in a constructive way in order to ensure that the outcome of the council carries more punch."
Puri said India’s return to the council after 19 years marked "a very important new phase" because the world has changed, the council’s work has been transformed since the Cold War ended, and India has become an emerging power, with a two trillion dollar economy by 2013.
India has been a major contributor to U.N. peacekeeping missions all over the world — almost 100,000 troops in total — and Puri said the country’s first priority on the council will be to ensure that peacekeeping operations are accompanied by strong measures to rebuild the governments and economies of war-torn, failing and failed states.
This is an area, he said, where India can share its experience of transforming "a colonial economy of 190 years into a post-colonial modern secular state with vibrant institutions."
Puri said India will also be "an active collaborator" in council efforts to tackle international terrorism, through sanctions and other measures targeting the perpetrators and financiers. He expressed hope that India will cooperate "meaningfully" with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism.
India’s bid for a permanent seat got a boost from President Barack Obama in November when he visited New Delhi, and Puri said he was encouraged that the other permanent members, including China, had come out with "encouraging formulations" pointing in the direction of an endorsement, or with outright endorsements.
Puri said the reform process is "gaining momentum" and he said there might even be a vote on council expansion this year — but he wouldn’t predict the result.
