Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, during his address at the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, backed India as a worthy candidate for permanent membership in the UN Security Council.
“We see the prospects of making Security Council more democratic via representation of countries from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. India and Brazil, in particular, are key international actors and worthy candidates for permanent membership within the council,” the Russian FM said.
India is currently a non-permanent member of the 15-nation UNSC. The five permanent members of the UNSC are the United States, United Kingdom, Russia, France, and China.
Over the years, India has been at the forefront of sustained efforts to reform the Security Council. "India has always espoused a cooperative, inclusive and consultative approach to international relations," said External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar.
Earlier, India with 31 countries in a joint statement on reforms stated that an expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as reform in its working methods, is indispensable to making the body more representative, legitimate, and effective.
According to the statement, the head of delegations was convinced of the need to restore faith in effective multilateralism. "We stand united, as a group of pro-reform like-minded States, determined to work towards a more inclusive, responsive, and participatory international governance architecture," the statement reads.
"We further recognise that the lack of progress in Security Council reform has serious implications, not only for the continues relevance of global governance institutions, but also for global peace and security and delivering on the purposes, principles, and promises of the United Nations Charter," it added.
During his address at the UNGA, Lavrov accused Western countries of 'throwing a fit' over the referendum that is being conducted in the Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine. He said the US was trying to turn the whole world into its "backyard", and together with its partners, punishing dissenters, through what he called "illegal, unilateral sanctions" which violate the UN charter.
-- With ANI inputs