UNSC reforms 'inevitable', says Krishna

Pitching for "urgent" reforms of the United Nations Security Council, India today said that the long pending expansion of the top organ of the world body is "inevitable".

"The reform of the Security Council is inevitable," S M Krishna told PTI after his meeting with the L69 group, a diverse set of countries from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.

"It is urgent and it will have to be supported wholeheartedly and I think as a group we should carry this movement forward," he said.

Krishna, who is here on his first trip to the UN since India became a non-permanent member on the Security Council last month after a gap of 19 years, said that Security Council reform is on the top of his agenda.

The L69 Group supports India's position that the Council's permanent and non-permanent categories should both be expanded, which was reiterated today by UN envoys of the countries in the group.

"There was unanimity on views in L69 group on reforms," Krishna said.

This position, however, is not reflected as the conclusive position in the latest five page document, which is a product of ongoing text based negotiations that is being chaired Zahir Tanin, Afghanistan's envoy to the UN.

The Security Council reform process has been going on for almost two decades.

But several questions are yet to be resolved, which include how many new seats should be created, who gets these seats and when should the veto power kick in.

Krishna would meet foreign ministers of three other Security Council aspirants – Brazil, Japan and Germany later today. Following the meeting, the G4 countries are expected to produce an outcome document on their discussions.

Except Japan, the three other G4 countries are currently on the Council serving as non-permanent members and they are hoping to set the stage for becoming permanent members before their terms expire.

The four ministers will also meet General Assembly President Joseph Deiss to discuss Security Council reform.

Deiss has spoken out strongly in favor of reform.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Antonio Patriota also attended the L69 gathering and later met Krishna for a bilateral meeting.