[Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (i.e. April 11 2015) made a strong pitch for a permanent seat for India in the United Nations Security Council, saying it should get it as a "right" for its immense contribution to global peace. "Those days are gone when India had to beg. Now we want our right. No other country has such moral authority," he said while addressing the Indian community in Paris. (Extracted from, and highlighted in, the report at sl. no. II below.)
Compare this with the following: India's official dream of getting a permanent seat in the UN Security Council was dealt a decisive blow with the US teaming up with China and Russia to oppose negotiations for changes in the body. ... The US stand was a blow largely because its has been what New Delhi believed the most recent and important voice supporting India's permanent UNSC membership. ... ... Washington is willing to consider specific countries for entry into the UNSC but only after they have proved their credentials in their "ability and willingness to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security and to other purposes of the United Nations". But it will not agree to "any alteration or expansion of the veto". (Extracted from, and highlighted in, the report at sl. no. I below.) It is of course quite another matter that true democratic reforms of the UNSC would call for nothing less than the end of the system of having veto wielding permanent members, not any marginal expansion of the super-privileged coterie.] I/II. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/US-backs-China-Russia-blow-to-desi-UNSC-dream/articleshow/48431319.cms US backs China & Russia, blow to desi UNSC dream Indrani Bagchi,TNN | Aug 11, 2015, 07.32 AM IST NEW DELHI: ***India's official dream of getting a permanent seat in the UN Security Council was dealt a decisive blow with the US teaming up with China and Russia to oppose negotiations for changes in the body.*** [Emphasis added.} After a long and laborious process of discussions, countries have finally come out with a framework text which could be the basis of negotiations to reform the Security Council — not only to admit more countries as permanent members, but also to make its working more transparent. The text was the result of inter-governmental negotiations (IGN) and was introduced in the UN General Assembly by its president Sam Kutesa on August 1. The text, which may continue to be debated, however, has a short effective life after three biggies —US, China and Russia — came out against it, making any negotiations little more than an academic exercise. ***The US stand was a blow largely because its has been what New Delhi believed the most recent and important voice supporting India's permanent UNSC membership*** [emphasis added]. In a letter, the US said, "The IGN is the most appropriate forum for these discussions. It is critical that any reform proposal enjoy broad consensus among member states." Sources said it's just diplomatese for pushing the can down the road. Indian officials say the IGN was really not going anywhere, but it has become the flavour of the season with all the nay-sayers like US, Russia and China. ***Washington is willing to consider specific countries for entry into the UNSC but only after they have proved their credentials in their "ability and willingness to contribute to the maintenance of international peace and security and to other purposes of the United Nations". But it will not agree to "any alteration or expansion of the veto".*** [Emphasis added.] While India will not stake its partnership with the US on its non-support, it does make things awkward. PM Narendra Modi has recently written a long letter to all 193-member countries of the UN pushing India's case in the UNSC. Indian diplomats believe text-based negotiations are its best chance to get into the UNSC. Russia, India's oldest supporter for the UNSC seat, also supported the inter-governmental negotiations, rejecting the text-based one. "The intergovernmental negotiations on the UN Security Council reform should proceed in a calm, transparent and inclusive atmosphere free from artificial deadlines. If a consensus on this issue is not possible to achieve, then in any case it will be politically necessary to secure the support by the overwhelming majority of the member-states — a substantially greater number than the legally required two thirds of votes at the General Assembly," it said. That, say diplomats, will be almost impossible to achieve. China has remained a steadfast opponent to the process of UNSC reform, and has been the unofficial sponsor of the 13-nation group UfC. So China's opposition to the negotiations is not a surprise. Beijing has used its considerable clout in Africa, Asia and Latin America to build opinion against the text process. In its response, Beijing said it would refuse to "populate" the document. Outlining its position, China said, "Member-states are still seriously divided on the Security Council reform. No general agreement has been reached on any solution so far. Member-states still need to engage in patient consultations to find a solution that accommodates each other's interests and concerns. Any solution or reform model should enjoy general agreement among member-states. The five clusters of key issues concerning Security Council reform are interrelated, and should not be addressed in isolation of each other. It is imperative to stick to the approach of a package solution." Indicating that it might be difficult to ever get China's support, it put out what appears to be an impossible position — "No solution on which member-states are seriously divided or approach that may cause division among member-states will have China's support." II. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/days-gone-when-india-had-to-beg-we-want-our-right-pm-modi-on-un-security-council-permanent-seat/article1-1336326.aspx It is India's right to get a permanent seat in UNSC: PM Modi Agencies, Paris| Updated: Apr 12, 2015 09:35 IST Prime Minister Narendra Modi poses for a selfie with Indian students during a visit at the French National Space Agency in Toulouse. Reuters Photo ***Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a strong pitch for a permanent seat for India in the United Nations Security Council, saying it should get it as a "right" for its immense contribution to global peace.*** [Emphasis added.] ***"Those days are gone when India had to beg. Now we want our right. No other country has such moral authority," he said while addressing the Indian community in Paris.*** [Emphasis added.] "This is an opportunity to recognise a peace-loving nation like India," he said, asking the UN to reconsider its stand on the issue when it celebrates the 70th anniversary. Addressing an enthusiastic civic reception by the Indian community on Saturday evening, Modi said that this is the centenary year of World War I, and India gave 14 lakh jawans to fight in a war that was not its, and lost 75,000 men. He said 11 of the Indians won the Victoria Cross for their valour. "I went to get blessings from them," he said referring to his visit to the Neuve Chapelle earlier in the day to pay tribute to the thousands of Indians who were killed in the WWI. "I want to give the message to world, that they should view India differently, that this is a country that gives sacrifice not just for itself but for others," he said. 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