Russia to back India’s UN ambitions
16 Dec 2011
Russia would support India's candidacy for permanent membership in the United Nations' Security Council if it is decided to extend the council's membership, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said during a news conference following talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Moscow.
The Security Council currently has five permanent members with veto rights – Britain, China, France, Russia, and the United States, the acknowledged nuclear weapons powers – as well as 10 nonpermanent members. Moves have long been afoot to increase this membership.
''We view India as a real and strong candidate for full UN membership,'' Medvedev said.
He stressed, however, that Council reform could only be implemented based on an agreement between the UN General Assembly and Security Council member states.
