New York , March 30: French President Nicholas Sarkozy on Tuesday made a strong pitch for India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Speaking at Columbia University, Mr Sarkozy said emerging voices like India, Africa and the Arab world need to find a place in the UN Security Council, as he criticised the present structure of the world body.

“Did you know that India... in 30 years’ time the world’s most populous nation, doesn’t have a permanent seat on the Security Council?” said the French President, hosted by Columbia University as part of the World Leaders Forum.
Mr Sarkozy noted that the existing Security Council and its membership had been decided at the end of World War II. “Did you know that there isn’t a single Arab country that represents hundreds of millions of people that has a permanent seat on the UN SC?” he added. “How could you expect Brazil or India or Africa for that matter to endorse part of the responsibility vis-à-vis the world’s major difficulties and conflicts if they are not even listened to... Would you like to be in their shoes?” he asked.
“Would you like to be told when it comes for paying up... step up, but when it comes to speaking up, step down... Who can go along with that? Nobody!”     —PTI

Betwa Sharma