(a) whether the Government is aware of the need to reform United Nations and expand the Security Council by including developing democratic countries and non-aligned countries; and
(b) if so, the constructive steps taken to work with China and other non-aligned countries to reform the United Nations?
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS (SHRI RAO INDERJIT SINGH)
(a) Yes. India has consistently and actively stressed the urgent need for the reform and the restructuring of the UN Security Council. The necessity to have a larger representation of the developing countries including some developing countries as permanent members in an expanded Security Council has also been emphasized by us.
(b) This question has been under discussion at the United Nations for several years. There are several complex issues involved: the size of an expanded Council, criteria, balanced representation, etc. With regard to these issues, there is a certain commonality between the Non Aligned countries and developing countries including China. Discussions are continuing in the UN involving all these countries.