India must get UN permanent seat: US congressmen

While the Clinton administration is non-committal about India's claim to a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, its friends in the US Congress propose to mobilise American public opinion in support of New Delhi's demand.

Congressional Caucus on India Co-Chairman Frank Pallone told the media on Wednesday that it had given notice of a resolution on the subject, which will be introduced in the House of Representatives next week.

Even if the House adopts the resolution, it will not be binding on the administration. ''However, it will help build a case in favour of India's demand,'' he added.

Addressing another media conference, Assistant Secretary of State for International Organisations Princeton Lyman said it had left the matter to the developing countries's representatives.

The formula, which the US backs for the 15-member Council's reorganisation, envisages adding five new permanent seats. It plans to accommodate Japan and Germany and leave the remaining three permanent seats to the developing countries.

The US expects the developed countries themselves to decide how to share the three permanent seats.

Earlier, explaining the same point, Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Thomas Pickering said, ''We have said that the additional seats ought to be decided upon by the regional grouping concerned -- Asia, Latin America and Africa. If they decide to allocate three of those new seats as permanent seats, we would have every reason to support that particular process.''

According to observers, an overwhelming majority of developing countries would favour rotation of the permanent positions among themselves.

Indications in Washington are that India in Asia, Nigeria in Africa and Brazil were likely to be in the Council as permanent members and it is not clear as to how they would go about convincing fellow developing countries about their claims.

UNI

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