US announces support for India's permanent UNSC membership bid

Washington: The US has said it is committed to India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council, days after the General Assembly adopted a negotiating text for the long-pending reforms of the powerful wing of the world body. The reaffirmation from the US comes in the backdrop of the maiden India US Strategic and Commercial Dialogue which was held on Tuesday. [caption id=“attachment_2312856” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  United Nations Security Council. AP Image[/caption] Notwithstanding, apprehensions appearing in certain quarters following recent developments at the UN headquarters in New York, the US said, it supports India as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. “The US Side reaffirmed its support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member,” said the joint statement issued after the conclusion of the Strategic and Commercial Dialogue at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. Both sides committed to ensuring that the Security Council continues to play an effective role in maintaining international peace and security as envisioned in the UN Charter, it said. According to the joint statement, both India and the US are committed to continued engagement on Security Council reform in the UN Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) on Security Council Reform. India-US partnership is a significant contributor to the peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean and Asia-Pacific regions and around the globe, the statement said. Building on successful cooperation in Asia, the two countries welcomed continued cooperation under the Joint Strategic Vision for the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean Region agreed by US President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The US also commended India’s leadership in evacuating foreign nationals including US citizens, from conflict in Yemen, as well as cooperation between the US and India on providing post-earthquake relief in Nepal. India and the US resolved that they would work as partners in responding to the needs of civilians in global crises. Both countries also welcomed Japan’s participation in the MALABAR 2015 naval exercise later this year. Pledging to continue high level consultations on Afghanistan, both the countries agreed that a sovereign, independent and prosperous Afghanistan is in the interest of peace and security in the region, and will contribute to the global efforts to combat terrorism and extremism. The two countries also expressed satisfaction at the convening of the first meeting of an upgraded UN and Multilateral Dialogue in February 2015, the first meeting of the Space Security Dialogue in March 2015, and the first India-US consultations on Africa in April 2015. PTI