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Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Xavier Bettel on Monday backed Indias bid for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, saying the UNSC should be reformed to reflect the realities of the present global order.
In an exclusive interview with ANI, Bettel said Indias size and importance make its inclusion in an expanded Security Council necessary. If we say now, we need to have 10 members, because for me India belongs. It's for sure. Look at the size of the country, the importance of your country. Why is India still not in? Bettel said. He also criticised the existing veto arrangement, calling it a relic of the Second World War and arguing that a single country should not be able to block decisions by the international community. These are the countries with the veto rights... I just want to remind that it is a relic of the Second World War, he said. Bettel proposed allowing a two-thirds majority in the Security Council to override a veto. I would prefer to have a reform of the Security Council where we would be able, with a two-thirds majority, to overrule a veto. And then we can open the Security Council, he said. He said the UNSC could be expanded to include major countries that currently do not have a permanent role, citing India and Brazil. But then we need to take away these veto rights where you can block, alone, the whole world. That's not normal, Bettel said. The remarks come as Bettel is on a three-day official visit to India, from September 7 to September 9.The Deputy PM will also visit Chennai for engagements at IIT Madras. Earlier on August 19, India called for urgent reforms in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), saying the world body's decision-making structure must reflect present-day realities and give greater representation to the Global South. Addressing the UNSC Open Debate on Working Methods, Charge d'Affaires of India's Permanent Mission to the UN, Ambassador Yojna Patel, said the need for reforming the Security Council was "more pronounced and pressing than ever before". "The world of 1945 has changed beyond recognition. UN membership has grown fourfold since then. The outcome of one conflict 80 years ago cannot determine the composition, dynamics, approaches and working methods for perpetuity. This needs to change and must happen at the earliest," Patel said. She said India's position on UNSC reforms was well known and called for expansion in both categories of membership, with greater representation for developing countries. "We seek an expansion in both categories, with greater representation for the Global South. This could be achieved only through text-based negotiations, with clearly defined milestones and timelines," she said. (ANI)
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