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UNSC chief shows readiness to discuss India-Pakistan tensions if requested

Amid rising tensions between India and Pakistan, the UN Security Council will be seized of the matter and could discuss the situation if such a request is made, President of the Council for the month of May Ambassador Evangelos Sekeris said on Thursday. "This is an issue which is now ongoing, evolving," Sekeris said at a press briefing. Sekeris, who is the Permanent Representative of Greece to the UN, said that the Council had recently issued a press statement condemning the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, and called for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. "We are listening, of course, we are monitoring closely the situation and will be seized on the matter, of course. This is certain that will happen," he said. He added that any act of terrorism is strongly condemned. "We express our deepest condolences to the Government of India and Nepal and the families of the victims. At the same time, I have to tell you that we are also seriously concerned wit

'Reprehensible act': UNSC condemns Pahalgam attack; calls for justice

The UN Security Council has condemned the deadly Pahalgam attack, describing it as 'reprehensible', and called for bringing those responsible, including their sponsors, to justice

India sure contender for seat in expanded UNSC, says IGN Chair AlBanai

If a decision is made on expanding the UN Security Council, "then surely" India will be a contender, Chair of Intergovernmental Negotiations on UNSC reforms on Thursday said. "The goal of this reformed Council must be representative. Obviously, India is a main player on the world stage today. But it (UN) is a membership of 193 countries. The consideration is representative for everybody and the whole membership of the United Nations," Ambassador Tareq AlBanai said at a press briefing here. "So surely, if the decision is made that expansion of the Council goes to from anywhere from 21 to 27 members, then surely India will be a contender in that and will be subject to the decision of the wider membership," AlBanai said in response to a question by PTI. AlBanai, who is Kuwait's Permanent Representative to the UN, recalled that last year he and co-Chair Ambassador Alexander Marschik of Austria had visited India and had a conversation there "at the highest level" on the issue of UNSC ...

Portugal reiterates its support for India's permanent seat in UNSC

Portugal has reiterated its support for India's bid for permanent membership in a reformed UN Security Council, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Tuesday. Briefing the media on the conclusion of President Droupadi Murmu's two-day State Visit to Portugal, Secretary (West) Tanmaya Lal said that both countries are cooperating at various multilateral fora, including the United Nations. "During the visit, Portuguese leadership reiterated its support for permanent membership of India at the United Nations Security Council," he said. India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member. India argues that the 15-nation council founded in 1945 is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century and does not reflect contemporary geo-political realities. Lal said Portugal contributes very strongly to the India-EU strategic Partnership and ...

Need early reform of key multilateral bodies, including UNSC: Prez Murmu

President Droupadi Murmu Thursday emphasised the need for early and comprehensive reform of key multilateral bodies, including the United Nations Security Council, to make them reflective of contemporary global realities. Welcoming Philemon Yang, the President of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), who had called on President Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here, she said 2025 will see important UN conferences like the Fourth Conference on Financing for Development, and the Third UN Ocean Conference, among others. Murmu assured Yang of India's active and constructive participation in these platforms. President Murmu emphasised the need for early and comprehensive reform of key multilateral bodies, including the UN Security Council, to make them reflective of contemporary global realities, according to an official statement. Murmu appreciated Yang's emphasis on science and data-driven approach to sustainable development and his inclusive vision. She also

Pakistan begins its two-year tenure as non-permanent member of UNSC

Pakistan began its two-year tenure as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) on January 1, with Ambassador Munir Akram saying that the Pakistani delegation will play an active and constructive role in addressing key challenges facing the world. Our presence will be felt in the Security Council, Ambassador Akram, Pakistan's top diplomat at the UN, told state-run APP (Associated Press of Pakistan) news agency. From Wednesday, Pakistan will sit in the Security Council for the 2025-26 term as a non-permanent member the eighth time that the country has had a seat on the 15-member body's horseshoe table. In June, Pakistan was elected to the council with a massive majority as a non-permanent member, polling 182 votes in the 193-member General Assembly far more than the required 124 votes representing a two-thirds majority. We enter the council at a time of great geopolitical turbulence, intense competition between the two largest powers, raging wars in Euro

US vetoes UN Security Council resolution demanding cease-fire in Gaza

The United States on Wednesday vetoed a UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate cease-fire in the war in Gaza because it was not linked to an immediate release of hostages taken captive by Hamas militants in Israel in October 2023. The council voted overwhelmingly in favour of the resolution 14 of its 15 members voted yes including US allies Britain and France but it was doomed by the veto. US deputy ambassador Robert Wood said the United States worked for weeks to avoid a veto of the resolution sponsored by the council's 10 elected members, and expressed regret that compromise language was not accepted. We made clear throughout negotiations we could not support an unconditional cease-fire that failed to release the hostages, he said. Hamas would have seen it as a vindication of its cynical strategy to hope and pray the international community forgets about the fate of more than 100 hostages from more than 20 member states who have been held for 410 days. The ...

Unsatisfied with pace of progress on UNSC reform: Indian UN envoy

India is unsatisfied with the pace of progress on Security Council reform, the country's envoy at the UN said, noting that there are countries who prefer the status quo and those that oppose expansion in the permanent category at all costs as they feel their neighbours may have a chance to become a member. The Security Council structure, as it stands today, is a reflection of 1945. It does not reflect today's realities, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said during a conversation here on Tuesday. Harish delivered the keynote address on Responding to Key Global Challenges: The India Way' at an event at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA). Harish gave an expansive overview of the India way on key global issues ranging from reformed multilateralism, terrorism, demography, India's digital revolution to the country's youth, climate change, democracy, healthcare and vaccines. The event was co-sponsored by the MPA

India calls for urgent UNSC reform, stresses need for representation

Harish pointed to three key factors hindering it: the ineffective intergovernmental negotiation process, the insistence on consensus by some countries, and lack of representation for the Global South

Iran calls for UNSC meeting amid Israel airstrikes, backed by China, Russia

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday that Tehran was not looking for war with Israel but will respond "appropriately" to Israel's strikes on Saturday on Iranian military sites

Russia believes India, Brazil should be represented in UNSC, says Lavrov

Russia's top diplomat has said that his country believes that India, Brazil and African countries should be represented in the UN Security Council on a permanent basis to ensure the representativeness of the global majority, state-owned TASS news agency reported on Sunday. "Countries such as India, Brazil, as well as representatives of Africa should have been on a permanent basis in the Security Council for a long time. This is necessary to ensure representativeness, representation of the global majority," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told aif.ru. in an interview, TASS reported. India has been at the forefront of years-long efforts calling for reform of the Security Council, including expansion in both its permanent and non-permanent categories, saying the 15-nation Council, founded in 1945, is not fit for purpose in the 21st Century and does not reflect contemporary geo-political realities. Delhi has underscored that it deserves a permanent seat at the horse-shoe ...

Will engage with China on matters of global interest: UK foreign secretary

The Foreign Secretary set out that as fellow Permanent Members of the UN Security Council, it is a necessity that the UK and China increase bilateral engagement

UNSC voices 'strong concern' for peacekeepers after Israeli attacks

The UN Security Council expressed strong concern Monday as Israel has fired on and wounded UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon during intensified fighting, reiterating its support for their role in supporting security in the region. It's the first statement by the UN's most powerful body since Israel's attacks on the positions of the peacekeeping force known as UNIFIL began last week, drawing international condemnation. UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Marie Lacroix told reporters that Secretary-General Antnio Guterres confirmed Monday that peacekeepers will remain in all their positions even as Israel has urged the peacekeepers to move 5 kilometers (3 miles) north during its ground invasion in Lebanon. Israel has been escalating its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon across a UN-drawn boundary between the two countries. The sides have been clashing since the Iranian-backed militant group started firing rockets a year ago in solidarity with its ally Hamas in Gaza. Hamas' deadly attacks

India trusted partner in Jamaica's development journey, says PM Modi

India has been a "trusted partner" in Jamaica's development journey and it is ready to share expertise in a range of areas, including digital public infrastructure, biofuel, innovation and health with the Caribbean nation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday. Modi made the remarks after holding wide-ranging talks with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness. In his media statement, Modi said he and Holness also discussed regional and global issues and agreed that all tensions and disputes should be resolved through talks and that both sides will continue to work towards ensuring global peace and security. India and Jamaica are unanimous that reform of all global institutions, including the UN Security Council, is necessary, he said, Modi said India has been a "trusted and committed" development partner in Jamaica's growth journey and it will remain so. "We are ready to share our experience with Jamaica in areas of digital public infrastructure, biofuel, innovation, health,

French President Macron voices support for permanent UNSC seat for India

The remarks by Macron came during his address at the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA)

G4 nations stress comprehensive UNSC reform essential for UN's future

They gathered to evaluate the current state of the multilateral system and discuss potential reforms to UNSC

'Good beginning': India on Pact of Future's language on UNSC reforms

India said that a UN summit document for the first time containing a detailed paragraph on Security Council reform is a good beginning and New Delhi looks forward eventually to the beginning of text-based negotiations in a fixed time frame to reform the 15-nation body. World leaders on Sunday adopted by consensus the 'Pact of the Future', promising to reform the Security Council, recognising the urgent need to make it more representative, inclusive, transparent, efficient, effective, democratic and accountable. UN officials have described the language in the 'Pact of the Future' on the long-pending Security Council reforms as groundbreaking. I would only point you in the direction of the fact that for the first time, a UN summit document has a detailed paragraph on UN Security Council reform," said Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri in response to a question on how India sees this language on UNSC reform in the 'Pact of the Future'. So it may not have every single detail in every area

UNSC meets for emergency session, says 'Lebanon on brink of catastrophe'

The meeting came amid an uptick in cross-border fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces

US backs 2 permanent seats for African nations on the UN Security Council

The United States announced Thursday that it will support the addition of two new permanent seats for African countries on the powerful U.N. Security Council and a first-ever non-permanent seat for a small island developing nation. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Linda Thomas-Greenfield made the announcement in a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations, calling it a follow-up to U.S. President Joe Biden's announcement two years ago that the U.S. supports expanding the 15-member body. While Africa has three non-permanent seats on the Security Council, that doesn't allow African countries to deliver the full benefit of their knowledge and voices, she said. That is why, in addition to non-permanent membership for African countries, the United States supports creating two permanent seats for Africa on the council, Thomas-Greenfield said. It's what our African partners seek, and it's what we believe is just. However, a senior U.S. administration official, who spoke on condition of ...

Nothing is negotiated until everything is negotiated: Kirby on Mideast war

"You call that optimistic. I call that accurate. That's how close we believe we are. That's where we have gotten to. The basic framework of the deal has been agreed to," Kirby said