Thursday, May 19 2005 22:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: Indicating that it will not accept permanent membership of expanded UN Security Council without veto, India today (May 19, 2005) said that any such new member of the world body should have the same powers as the current members.

"We certainly should have the veto. Whatever powers the permanent five have, the new members should have the same," Minister of State for External Affairs E Ahamed told reporters in New Delhi.

He said India's position has already been made clear by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament when he said that the country should have veto power if included in the UN Security Council as permanent member.

India, along with Japan, Germany and Brazil, have moved a draft resolution among UN members pressing for expansion of the Security Council by at least six permanent members with veto power.

The US has said that countries wanting to be included in the Security Council, as permanent members should not expect veto power.