United Nations : The UN Security Council’s size is inextricably linked to the need for equitable geographical distribution, India has said underscoring that the size of a reformed Council is a “choice of all, for all, by all”.
“The Council’s size is a choice of all, for all, by all. It cannot be allowed to falter on the altar of difficulty in adaptation of current working methods.”
“We cannot stave off change for want of the provisional rules of procedure (which have proved flexible on so many counts) not being able to accommodate aspects of size,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin said.
He was speaking here on Tuesday at an informal meeting of the General Assembly on Inter-Governmental Negotiations on equitable representation and increase in membership of the Security Council. He said the size of a reformed Council is inextricably linked to both the need for equitable geographical distribution and a desire for all stakeholders to have a greater opportunity to participate in it.
“…the increase in the number of states and population of the world, since the adoption of the Charter, has been more than three-fold. Yet, all expansion models have projected an increase that is less than that number. It reflects a willingness of all of us to be realistic,” he said. He noted that member states have a preference on every issue and so is the case with size.”
“However, working in the context of the General Assembly’s mandate, “we also accept the sovereign equality of States as the basis of decision making.”
“Issues of linkages are complex. They need to be addressed as part of a negotiation process that has detailed proposals available on paper, not through general statements. The earlier we go down that path the greater are chances of clarity. Until then the scope of our discussion will remain limited,” he said.–PTI