Obama backs India on permanent UN Security Council seat

[Alphatech]

US President Barack Obama has backed India's ambition for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

In an address to India's parliament at the end of a three-day visit, Mr Obama lavishly praised India's development.

His remarks will delight India, which has been lobbying for a seat at the UN's top table for years.

Analysts say it does not mean India will get a permanent seat immediately; the unspecified UN reforms Mr Obama mentioned could take years.

The US leader also said the Washington-Delhi relationship would be one of this century's defining partnerships.
'Brought to justice'

The loudest applause came when Mr Obama told dignitaries: "As two global leaders, the United States and India can partner for global security - especially as India serves on the Security Council over the next two years.

"Indeed the just and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is efficient, effective, credible and legitimate.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

I am mindful that I might not be standing before you today, as president of the United States, had it not been for Gandhi”

End Quote Barack Obama

"And that is why I can say today, in the years ahead, I look forward to a reformed United Nations Security Council that includes India as a permanent member."

There are currently five permanent members of the Security Council: the US, China, France, the UK and Russia.

In another important gesture to India, Mr Obama spoke about the threat of militancy from its regional rival, Pakistan.

He said: "We will continue to insist to Pakistan's leaders that terrorist safe havens within their borders are unacceptable, and that the terrorists behind the Mumbai attacks be brought to justice."

At the weekend, Mr Obama visited a memorial to victims of the 2008 attacks in Mumbai (Bombay).

White House officials revealed he had also briefed Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh about an American who has pleaded guilty in the US to laying the foundations of the attacks.

Mr Singh was told that while the US intelligence community had information about David Headley's activity, it was not specifically connected to Mumbai.

In his speech, Mr Obama also paid tribute to independence leader Mahatma Gandhi, saying: "I am mindful that I might not be standing before you today, as president of the United States, had it not been for Gandhi."

Earlier, Mr Obama paid tribute to India as a world power, saying both countries would work together to promote stability and prosperity.

"As the world's two largest democracies, as large and growing free market economies, as diverse, multi-ethnic societies with strong traditions of pluralism and tolerance, we have not only an opportunity, but also a responsibility to lead."

Mr Singh said Washington and Delhi had decided to "accelerate the deepening of ties to work as equal partners in a strategic relationship".

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11711007
So everything is on track....just as our leaders planned. All the permanent SC members have now officially supported India's bid. What i feel more impressed about though, is the way foreign leaders now call India a "Global power" instead of the former term "Emerging power". India has finally got the respect and credibility it now deserves. Now we need to work hard so that our nation can soon be called "The Global Superpower".

 

[Avatar]

Obama said what he did but he did not look very happy

 

[Alphatech]

Obama said what he did but he did not look very happy

I wouldn't expect Obama or any of the current security council members to be happy about it. India's emergence on the world stage will definitely dilute their clout , especially because of India's famous non-aligned stance. Nobody likes to welcome the new popular kid on the block into your exclusive club. But in my humble opinion, India has arrived and is here to stay, whether they like it or not. Deal with it.

 

[trident2010]

Obama endorses India's bid for permanent seat in UNSC



NEW DELHI: US President Barack Obama on Monday backed India for a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, recognising its rise as a great power in a significant victory for New Delhi's foreign policy.

"The just and sustainable international order that America seeks includes a United Nations that is efficient, effective, credible and legitimate," Obama said in a speech to the Indian parliament.

"That is why I can say today -- in the years ahead, I look forward to a reformed UN Security Council that includes India as a permanent member," he added on the last day of his state visit.

Obama cautioned however that with increased power came greater responsibility and called on future Security Council members to ensure the body was effective, that resolutions were implemented and sanctions enforced.

Given the tortuous negotiations likely to make the body -- set up after World War II -- reflect 21st Century realities, many analysts believe it could be years before the new Council is formed.

Ben Rhodes, a deputy US national security advisor, said that the intention of the United States was clear, and based on India's emerging role as a great strategic, economic and democratic power.

"A clear statement like this from the United States is a very powerful signal," he said, adding that Washington had expressed support for Japan's aspirations in the past, but had not done so for India.

William Burns, the top ranked US foreign service officer, said Obama's statement was a "recognition of the obvious about India's rise and significance".

But he cautioned that the announcement on Monday was only one small step in a "very complicated and difficult process" of reforming the Security Council underway at the United Nations in New York.

"It is bound to take a significant amount of time."

Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States are the only permanent members of the Security Council and can veto any resolution.

India has won a temporary seat on the UN Security Council and will take up the position for two years from January 1.

Momentum built in 2005 to reform the Security Council on the United Nations' 50th anniversary, with Brazil, Germany, India and Japan launching a joint bid for new permanent seats.

But the initiative failed, with the then US administration of George W. Bush only publicly backing the membership of Japan, a longstanding US ally and major donor to the United Nations.

China, the only Asian nation in the Security Council, strongly opposed Japan's membership by accusing it of not atoning for World War II.

It has since said it is willing to talk to India and Japan about Security Council reforms but has not supported the membership of either nation.



Obama endorses India's bid for permanent seat in UNSC - The Times of India

 

[Avatar]

I feel that Obama made these announcements despite his own personal wishes only to gain more confidence back home. These are what the Republicans wanted, and he gave it to them.

 

[Ingis]

Would have been more happy if Obama would have put a time frame to UNSC reforms. Also, he didn't clarify whether he supported India as a permanent UNSC member with veto powers or without veto powers.

Anyways, the mere mention of the fact that the United States wanted to see India as a permanent member of the UNSC is a major foreign policy victory for India. Still a lot more work is required, but consider the number of UNSC permanent members who support India's UNSC candidacy bid --

1) USA
2) Russia
3) UK
4) France

All of these four P5 nations have officially supported India now. The only P5 member remaining is China. But with growing trade relations and more frequent of diplomatic dialogue, China might not decide to single-handedly derail India's UNSC candidacy bid.

Anyways, UNSC permanent membership is a bit hyped considering the fact that UN has lost most of its influence in recent years. Apart from snob value, nothing much is there. So, Pakistanis should not really freak out.

 

[Alphatech]

But with growing trade relations and more frequent of diplomatic dialogue, China might not decide to single-handedly derail India's UNSC candidacy bid.

Anyways, UNSC permanent membership is a bit hyped considering the fact that UN has lost most of its influence in recent years. Apart from snob value, nothing much is there. So, Pakistanis should not really freak out.

I don't think China will openly oppose or even think of vetoing India's bid. They might try to stall the process and buy time, but openly opposing India's bid will be seen as overt aggressiveness and will severely hurt the international image China is trying to cultivate. India has too many powerful friends and a clean international record which will prevent any major powers from antagonizing India. Moreover in all recent talks with China regarding this issue, the Chinese have shown support but stopped just short of actually endorsing the bid.The only country that will blatantly oppose India's bid is Pakistan, which is pretty much inconsequential, and given their current reputation, we might even be able use this to our advantage.

 

[Mirza Jatt]

"And that is why I can say today, in the years ahead, I look forward to a reformed United Nations Security Council that includes India as a permanent member."

this statement said it all. good that it came,but when Obama said recently that India's entry into the UNSC is a complex process, i thought he would not talk about it, while adressing the parliament..but seems the closed door meeting with MMS proved really crucial.

 

[hembo]

Please merge with the other tread on the same subject.

 

[Alphatech]

Please merge with the other tread on the same subject.

The "other tread " was speculation and is currently wildly off topic with discussions about Iran.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry Reaction: “Pakistan hopes that the US will take a moral view and not base itself on any temporary expediency or exigencies of power politics"

Source: Obama backs India?s drive for UN power Latest news, breaking news, world news, international news and current affairs

If The US takes "a moral view" and does "not base itself on any temporary expediency", Pakistan will have a lot more to worry about than India's permanent security council seat.

Their foreign ministry seems to forget that the only reason that their government is still ruling is because the US policies generally tend to be based on temporary expediencies. Just wait till the US troops leave Afghanistan, then you will really regret asking the US to take a "moral view" on anything. Pakistan has a long way to go before it can claim to be the international custodian of moral values.

As for India, I don't seem anything immoral about giving the one of the world's largest, peaceful and most most rapidly growing countries, the rightful position that it deserves.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

I think it's a good idea for India to get a permanent seat. India has an "independent" foreign policy, they don't fall into anyone's "camp".

The UK for example just follows whatever the USA does.

Russia and France like to vote against the USA, just to annoy them.

China and India don't fall into any camp, they will just vote independently. Which ironically, will annoy America as well.

 

[CardSharp]

I don't think China will openly oppose or even think of vetoing India's bid. They might try to stall the process and buy time, but openly opposing India's bid will be seen as overt aggressiveness and will severely hurt the international image China is trying to cultivate. India has too many powerful friends and a clean international record which will prevent any major powers from antagonizing India. Moreover in all recent talks with China regarding this issue, the Chinese have shown support but stopped just short of actually endorsing the bid.The only country that will blatantly oppose India's bid is Pakistan, which is pretty much inconsequential, and given their current reputation, we might even be able use this to our advantage.

Would have been more happy if Obama would have put a time frame to UNSC reforms. Also, he didn't clarify whether he supported India as a permanent UNSC member with veto powers or without veto powers.

Anyways, the mere mention of the fact that the United States wanted to see India as a permanent member of the UNSC is a major foreign policy victory for India. Still a lot more work is required, but consider the number of UNSC permanent members who support India's UNSC candidacy bid --

1) USA
2) Russia
3) UK
4) France

All of these four P5 nations have officially supported India now. The only P5 member remaining is China. But with growing trade relations and more frequent of diplomatic dialogue, China might not decide to single-handedly derail India's UNSC candidacy bid.

Anyways, UNSC permanent membership is a bit hyped considering the fact that UN has lost most of its influence in recent years. Apart from snob value, nothing much is there. So, Pakistanis should not really freak out.

Just because India sees China as a rival doesn't mean China thinks India is a rival. China supported India's election to the UNSC this time and it supports the inclusion of India in UNSC reform.


'China to back India’s bid for permanent UNSC seat'

New Delhi: Indicative of the new found warmth in the relations between the two countries, China on Wednesday assured India that it will support its bid for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).

The assurance was given to External Affairs Minister SM Krishna, who is on a four-day visit to Beijing, by the Chinese in response to his assertion that its time China "reviews" its policies on UN reforms to "welcome" its neighbour to the group.

The development is very significant as the Chinese have been, historically, very reluctant to induct other emerging superpowers into the elite club of world’s most powerful nations.

They have been saying that they support India's aspirations to play an important role at the UN, but want an overall reform of the world body. China has also not backed Japan, the other Asian contender for a permanent UNSC seat.

Surely, China’s change of stance holds great promise for New Delhi in its quest to find a foothold in the global high stakes game. It also demonstrates the new found willingness within the Chinese establishment to move ahead and increase the level of engagement with its biggest neighbour.

Besides the understanding on the India’s UNSC bid, both countries have agreed to establish a hotline between Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Wen Jiabao.

They have also made "considerable progress" on the boundary question, as both the sides have decided to adopt a patient approach and show maturity in dealing with outstanding issues.

In Krishna’s words: “There is unprecedented engagement between India and China on many fronts whether it be in trade and commerce, high level political interaction, contact between our defence establishments, cultural exchange, education, tourism and the environment.”

"Although unprecedented, this is but a fraction of what we can do together. Sixty years marks a full cycle in the Chinese calendar. In India too, attaining the age of sixty has a special meaning and significance,” he said at a reception here hosted to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

The meeting comes in backdrop of months of wrangling between the Asian superpowers over a host of issues. China had lately been adopting a belligerent stance on the vexed border dispute, and had even made incursions in Arunachal and Ladakh area of J&K. China had also made a very controversial move by issuing stapled visa to Indian national from J&K, whereby indicating it as a disputed region.

http://www.zeenews.com/news617211.html

and

China ready to support India's non-permanent UNSC bid in 2011-12

http://www.newkerala.com/news/fullnews-116143.html

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Just because India sees China as a rival doesn't mean China thinks India is a rival. China supported India's election the UNSC this time and it supports the inclusion of India in UNSC reform.

Exactly right.

The future is all about cooperation, not about rivalry. Despite the perceptions that some people still hold.

 

[Capt.Popeye]

I think it's a good idea for India to get a permanent seat. India has an "independent" foreign policy, they don't fall into anyone's "camp".

The UK for example just follows whatever the USA does.

Russia and France like to vote against the USA, just to annoy them.

China and India don't fall into any camp, they will just vote independently. Which ironically, will annoy America as well.

India getting a seat on the SC is one matter. It will happen when it will happen. But USA is definitely uncomfortable with the prospects of India not participating in any camp. The NAM experience of the past has not been fully erased. And now India is noticeably unassociated with the US move to push China into currency reform and attempts to cap Balance of Trade.

 

[Nothing]

India getting a seat on the SC is one matter. It will happen when it will happen. But USA is definitely uncomfortable with the prospects of India not participating in any camp. The NAM experience of the past has not been fully erased. And now India is noticeably unassociated with the US move to push China into currency reform and attempts to cap Balance of Trade.

and we not sharing USA's view on global warming ... India and China is giving hard time to western nations on this