'People to say India deserves permanent UNSC seat'

As India assumes the month-long presidency of the United Nations Security Council, the international community has "very high expectations" from it, New Delhi's envoy to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri said on Tuesday.

Puri said India will conduct itself with "political maturity, dignity" and in a manner which enhances the prestige of the Security Council and which serves the overall interest of the UN.

"More than India, rest of the international community has very high expectations from India's presidency of the Council. Not only will we meet those expectations but after we are through with the presidency. People will say here is a country which truly deserves to be a permanent member" of the UNSC, said Puri.

India, which assumed the rotating presidency of the UNSC on Monday, had last held the position in December 1992.

Puri said while the presidency does give India an opportunity to focus on issues of importance to it, India will be "very realistic about what Security Council membership entails and what the presidency of the council involves". He added that India does not want to be short-sighted and immature by utilising the presidency to push forward few issues of paramount concern only to it.

"The manner in which you conduct yourself in the deliberations of the Council, the kind of positions you take, the political maturity which you display not only as the member of the Council but more in the presidency, those ultimately reflect on the country's credentials," he said.       

On whether the presidency will help bolster India's efforts towards a permanent seat in the Security Council, Puri said, "When a country conducts itself with political maturity and wisdom, that results in reinforcing the credentials for permanent membership and that is what India has already been doing."

He noted that the actual process of Security Council expansion and reform will require traction in the General Assembly. "That is a process which we are already fully engaged in through our efforts" with various countries.

He said India has deliberately set a lighter agenda for the month and while it will make suggestions, "ultimately the evolving situations in the global hot spots will determine what the Council has to deal with".