Pak claims India seems to abandon SC seat, mulling on own candidate

United Nations, June 16 (UNI) Claiming that India seemed to have abandoned its quest for a permanent seat on the Security Council with its decision to field a candidate for the UN Secretary-Generalship, Pakistan today said it was also considering putting up its nominee, for the coveted post.

''We have been giving serious consideration to fielding a candidate,'' Pakistan's Ambassador to the UN Munir Akram told mediapersons, but said no ''final decision'' has been taken on who its candidate will be.

Speaking at a luncheon meeting of the UN Correspondents Association, he noted that India's decision to field candidate for the Secretary-General post ''sends several messages.'' Drawing attention to the tradition at the United Nations that permanent members should not seek the UN chief post and that if any nation wanting permanent seat fields its own candidate in the running for the top UN job Mr Akram said it could mean it is no longer interested in the prestigious and powerful Security Council slot.

''They seemed to have abandoned their quest for a permanent seat in the Security Council,'' he said, adding that this was the ''most significant indication from our point of view.'' The meeting was scheduled much earlier than the announcement by New Delhi declaring its candidacy for the UN chief post. It named Undersecretary-General Shashi Tharoor for the post.

India has meanwhile rejected the Pakistani claim that it is no longer pursuing the permanent seat. ''These two issues are unrelated,'' Indian envoy to the UN Nirupam Sen said.

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