Washington: Amid India’s push for UN Security Council reforms, the US has said it supports building a consensus for a “modest” expansion of the council for both permanent and non-permanent members, provided it does not diminish its effectiveness or its efficacy and does not alter or expand the veto.

When asked about India’s presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of August, State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters that the US values “working with India at the United Nations, including in the context this month of the Security Council”. “We support building a consensus for modest enlargement of the Security Council for both permanent and non-permanent members, provided it does not diminish its effectiveness or its efficacy and does not alter or expand the veto,” Price said.

US values working with India, UN

On India’s presidency of the UNSC for the month of August, State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the US values “working with India at the UN”.

“We support a consensus for enlargement of the council for permanent and non-permanent members,” he said.

He was responding to a question on whether the Biden administration thinks that India should be a permanent member of the UN Security Council. “We believe that a reformed Security Council that is representative, that is effective, and that is relevant is in the best interest of the US and all of the UN member states,” Price said. India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reforms of the council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member.
PTI

Press Trust of India