Saturday, July 22 2006 13:17 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

United Nations: Making a strong case for expansion of the 15-member Security Council, India has sharply criticised permanent members of the UN's top organ for hindering substantive reforms which would help bring the world body in line with current realities.

The Council has failed to effectively address the problems of peace and security which is its charter responsibility as is clear from the deteriorating situation in the Middle East, Indian Ambassador to the UN Nirupam Sen said intervening in the General Assembly debate on reforms yesterday.

"These problems are arguably worse than before," he told the 192-member Assembly as he attacked the Council for putting on its agenda items which have nothing to do with the peace and security while failing to concentrate on its charter responsibility.

Seeking expansion of the Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, Sen asserted that new elected permanent members would help put the Council back on its track.

He pointed out that even an inter-parliamentary group had recently expressed the view that as long as the Security Council is not changed, it will be hard for the UN to truly change.

" Asking the permanent five members the US, UK, Russia, France and China not to behave as if history ended in 1945 when the UN Charter was written and victors of the Second World War made themselves permanent members, he told them to recognise changes that have taken place since then the vast expansion in membership, the anti-colonial and anti-apartheid triumphs, freedom and equality," he said.