Sarkozy backs permanent UNSC seat for India

New York, Mar 30: French president Nicholas Sarkozy on Tuesday, Mar 30, appealed for India's inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), adding that the world body needs to be expanded to make it more inclusive.

Criticising the present structure of the UN Security Council, Sarkozy, while speaking at the prestigious Columbia University, pressed for the inclusion of emerging voices like India, Africa and the Arab world need to find a place in the UNSC.

"Did you know that India... in 30 years time... the world's most populous nation, doesn't have a permanent seat on the Security Council?" Sarkozy said in an event hosted by Columbia University as part of the World Leaders Forum.

Sarkozy kept aside his prepared speech and chose to 'speak from the heart', as he questioned the non-inclusion of African or Arab country as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.

"Did you know that there isn't a single Arab country that represents hundreds of millions of people that has a permanent seat on the UN Security Council," he added.

Emphasing on the need to include emerging countries like India in the UNSC, the French President said that emerging world economies cannot be expected to be part of solving world problems unless they are granted a permanent UNSC seat.

"How could you expect Brazil or India or Africa for that matter to endorse part of the responsibility vis-a-vis the world's major difficulties and conflict if they are not even listened to... would you like to be in their shoes?" he asked.

"Would you like to be told when it comes for paying up...step up but when it comes to speaking up step down... who can go along with that... nobody," he added.

Sarkozy argued that membership of the General Assembly was not sufficient and US and Europe must was worked together in ensuring the participation of the nations that would be emerge as big powers in the coming decades.

OneIndia News