United Nations: Russia backed India and Brazil for permanent membership of the UN Security Council while opposing seats for Germany and Japan, two of India’s partners in the G4 reform coalition.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov set out Moscow’s position during his address to the 81st session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Saturday. His remarks placed India’s claim at the centre of a renewed debate over how to make the Council more representative.
“UN Security Council reform cannot involve any additional seats being allocated to Western countries, especially to Germany and Japan, who are now on the path to militarism and revanchism,” Lavrov said.
“We are in favour of broadening the representation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. We support Brazil’s and India’s candidatures for a permanent seat,” he added.
The statement was an explicit endorsement of India’s long-standing campaign. It also exposed a fault line within the G4, which brings together India, Brazil, Germany and Japan in a joint push for permanent membership.
The four countries met on the sidelines of the General Assembly this week. Their foreign ministers called for expansion in both the permanent and non-permanent categories. They also sought stronger representation for Africa, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and the Caribbean.
Russia’s position supports two G4 members but rejects the other two. Moscow also backed greater African representation, according to the UN’s account of Lavrov’s speech.
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India received support from other countries during the high-level debate.
Mauritius Foreign Minister Dhananjay Ramful endorsed India’s candidature while speaking about Council reform.
“We support the positions of the G4 and of L69 on Council reform, and we reiterate our support for India’s candidature for a permanent seat, commensurate with its constructive role in global affairs,” Ramful said.
Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro also supported permanent representation for Africa, Brazil and India. The Marshall Islands, meanwhile, backed Japan and its G4 partners.
“The Marshall Islands affirms its longstanding support for Japan and its G4 partners to achieve permanent membership on the UN Security Council,” President Hilda Heine said.
African countries have sought expansion of the UN Security Council.
In his address, Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio said the Council still reflected the power structure of 1945, while Africa remained without a permanent seat. Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama linked reform to the UN’s legitimacy and credibility.
The UN Secretariat has not endorsed any individual candidate. Asked on Friday about support for India, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the decision rested with member states.
“Well, it’s not for the Secretary-General to take position on the individual candidacies or proposals for specific Member States for a permanent seat on the Security Council,” Dujarric said.
He added that the Council required broader representation so people around the world could feel that they were represented, either directly or more widely.
The Security Council has 15 members. China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States hold permanent seats and veto power. Ten other countries are elected for two-year terms. Changing that structure would require a UN Charter amendment approved by two-thirds of the General Assembly and ratified by two-thirds of UN members, including all five permanent Council members.
India has argued for years that the Council no longer reflects contemporary political and economic realities. It points to its population, growing global role, record in UN peacekeeping and representation of the Global South. New Delhi has served eight terms as an elected Council member and continues to campaign with Brazil, Germany and Japan for permanent seats.
IANS
