Mexico against UNSC reforms, for compromise formula

Mexico is against UN Security Council reforms but prefers a compromise formula that can make it more effective, the Latin American country's Minister for Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz-Massieu Salinas said on Friday.

"Another area where we (Mexico and India) have shared a lot of work together is Security Council reforms," Salinas said while delivering the 22nd Sapru House Lecture here.

"The reform and enlargement of the UN Security Council has traditionally been an area in which India and Mexico have had different views," she said.

However, she said that at the end of the day both the countries "would like to see something very similar".

"A Security Council that is truly representative of today's reality," Salinas said.

"We have different means. India would prefer to have new permanent members and aspires to be one of them."

She said Mexico was among a group of countries that did not favour new permanent members.

She said these countries have been discussing this for quite some time.

"But we think it is time to work for building consensus and reaching an agreement," the Mexican minister said.

"The only ones that benefit from not doing this are the current permanent members. Our proposal is a compromise solution. A creation of long-term seats, non-permanent with the possibility of reelection."

She said this was a realistic solution that could be achieved in the short run.

According to Salinas, developing countries could effectively influence the UN's agenda and make the Security Council "to be more flexible to adapt to the reality of the changing world".

"You are the largest democracy of the world. I underlined that elections are the truly essential element to keep on building inclusive growth and social development," she said.

"How can we in the 21st century allow the permanent members the privileges without the scrutiny of the international community?"

Stating that more permanent members meant more paralysis, she said that "we understand and respect India's aspiration to become a permanent member".

"But for how long is India willing to wait?" she asked the gathering.

"That is why we have worked with other countries to broker a consensus and compromise solution that we have shared with you today," she said.

Mexico is among a group of countries called "United for Consensus" (UFC) that backed a resolution against expansion of the UN Security Council permanent members seats.

The others are Canada, Italy, Colombia, Pakistan, Argentina, Costa Rica, Malta, South Korea, San Marino, Spain and Turkey.

The UFC resolution opposed the push by the G4 countries - India, Brazil, Germany and Japan - to reform the UN's apex body.

Salinas, who arrived here on Friday on a two-day visit to India, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day.

She is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with her Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj on Saturday.