Nambiar stresses need for UN reforms, predicts 'new role' for India

Mumbai, Aug 4 (UNI) Acknowledging the need for reforms within the UN organisation, Chief of Staff to the Secretary General Vijay Nambiar has expressed the hope that India, one of the founder members of the world body, would take on a ''new role with more responsibilities''.

He also stressed the need for India being ''bolder'' on bilateral issues involving neighbours China and Pakistan.

Delivering a lecture on 'United Nations in a changing world' to an attentive audience at the Y B Chavan Hall here yesterday, the top UN diplomat said, ''India was a founding member of the UN and had contributed on issues like Human Rights way back in 1945 for the UN Charter.'' Mr Nambiar said there were more than 80,000 UN troops engaged in peacekeeping missions spread across 19 countries. ''At an annual expenditure of five billion US dollars, the UN is next only to the US in military expenditure,'' he added.

Pointing out the vast field presence of the world body in the field of socio-economic development, he said the UN has always been an active partner in bringing about domestic changes and trying to empower people to become both an agent and a beneficiary of development.

On the future role of the UN, the top official said, ''Expectations from the UN are at an all time high.'' ''While most of these expectations have been met by the UN, there is also a need for non-government groups to constantly exert pressure on issues to cut through the diplomatic and political tangles.

UNI