US for consensus on modest expansion of UNSC

PTI, Aug 6, 2021, 9:31 AM IST

Washington DC: The United States supports building a consensus for a modest expansion of the United Nations Security Council for both permanent and non-permanent members, the Biden Administration has said.

“We support building a consensus for modest enlargement of the Security Council for both permanent and non-permanent members, provided it does not diminish its effectiveness or its efficacy and does not alter or expand the veto,” State Department Spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at his daily news conference.

India is the president of the UN Security Council for the month of August.

“We value working with India at the United Nations, including in the context this month of the Security Council. We believe that a reformed Security Council that is representative, that is effective, and that is relevant is in the best interest of the United States and all of the UN member states. And we look forward to the opportunity to work very closely with India in the context of the Security Council in the coming weeks,” he said.

India and the United States, he said, have a number of shared values and shared interests with its Indian counterparts and Indian partners.

“Indeed, we have a comprehensive strategic partnership with India that unites us on many levels that we are seeking to deepen and strengthen on many levels as well. And we are very much looking forward to working very closely with the Indian Government in the context of the UN and the Security Council this month,” Price said.