Monday, June 27 2005 22:00 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

London: Ahead of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit next week, Britain today (Jun 27, 2005) came out in support of India's claim for a permanent seat in the UN Security Council, but sans veto power, even as New Delhi made it clear that it opposed selective or piecemeal reforms of the world body.

"We have extended full support to India to become a permanent member of the Security Council without veto power. At present five permanent members have veto powers and if we extend it to four more countries it will make it difficult," British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said at a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh after their talks in London.

Straw noted that most of the permanent members of the Security Council never used the veto. "We have never used it since 1989."

Several issues, including the latest developments in Nepal, India-Pakistan relations, the proposed G-8 summit coming up in Gleneagles in Scotland, to be attended by the Prime Minister as a special invitee, came up for discussion during the meeting.