Give India permanent seat in UNSC: Sarkozy

The French President, Mr Nicholas Sarkozy, on Tuesday, made a strong pitch for India’s inclusion as a permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC), which he said needs to be expanded to make it more inclusive.

Speaking at the prestigious Columbia University, Mr Sarkozy said emerging voices like India, Africa and the Arab world need to find a place in the UNSC, as he slammed 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, who was hosted by Columbia University.

Setting aside his prepared speech to “speak from the heart,” Mr Sarkozy said this Security Council and its membership was decided at the end of the World War II way back in 1945 questioning why no African or Arab country had a permanent seat on the UNSC, despite representing over a billion people together.

“How could you expect Brazil or India or Africa for that matter to endorse part of the responsibility vis-a-vis the world’s major difficulties and conflict if they are not even listened to... would you like to be in their shoes?” he asked.