PM puts up strong case in IBSA for enlarging UN Security Council

Pretoria: Asserting that India, Brazil and South Africa (IBSA) had demonstrated cohesion and cordination on various international issues, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today strongly argued for reforms and enlargement of United Nations Security Council to reflect present day realities and make it a representative world organisation to effectively respond to global challenges.
Addressing the opening session of Fifth IBSA Summit here, Dr Singh said the three IBSA countries located in three continents -Asia, Africa and America, though regarded claimants for the coveted permanent Membership in the UNSC had taken a well coordinated stand at the time of voting on Syria resolution.
Presently there are five permanent members in the UNSC- the US, Russia, United Kingdom, France and China.
India, he said, was committed to work closely with other two IBSA grouping who had collective endeavour to deepen cooperation in all the key areas. All the three were developing democratices in the three continents sharing the principles of pluralism, democracy and tolerance and multi-culturalism, he added.
“We also have similar views on many issues like equitable international order, a multi-polar world, a rule based institutional trading system, climate change and reforms of the UN,” Dr Singh noted.
Describing IBSA trust fund as a ‘novel initiative’, the Prime Minister said it would enable the trust to share their development experiences with other developing countries in the spirit of south-south cooperation.
He also called for strengthening of IBSA ownership of the project executed under the Trust Fund. All the three IBSA countries have contributed one million dollar annually to fund developmental projects in other countries and bring back focus on what was originally envisaged.