The Hindu : National : India, Germany agree U.N. needs reforms

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Thursday, Jul 15, 2004

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National

India, Germany agree U.N. needs reforms

By Our Diplomatic Correspondent

COMMITTED PARTNERS: The External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, with his German counterpart, Joschka Fischer, at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Wednesday. - Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

NEW DELHI, JULY 14. "We welcome the fact that the United Kingdom and the United States have abandoned the unilateral road [on Iraq] and taken the multilateral road," the External Affairs Minister, Natwar Singh, said at a joint press conference with his visiting German counterpart, Joschka Fischer, today.

The multilateral route, Mr. Singh felt, was the right way to address the situation. "I say this with great respect to both countries. We have very good relations with both the U.S. and the U.K." Pointing out that the Government had welcomed United Nations Security Council Resolution 1546 on Iraq, he said India had already committed $20 million in humanitarian aid to Iraq. "We'll be interested in the reconstruction process."

Mr. Fischer, who called on the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, earlier in the day, said that the Resolution 1546 was a big step forward. He said that the transfer of sovereignty, which was crucial, had begun in Iraq on July 1.

Stressing that Germany had no intention of sending troops to Iraq, Mr. Fischer, however, said his country was training Iraqi policemen in Abu Dhabi. Mr. Fischer hoped that the timetable set out in Resolution 1546 would be adhered to.

India and Germany also said that they considered each other to be "natural candidates" for a permanent seat in an enlarged Security Council and would support each other in this endeavour. The nations believed in a strong and effective multilateral system. "Both are committed to the effective functioning of the U.N.," they said. "We also agree that the U.N. needs to be reformed if it is to successfully tackle the tasks ahead... It can only play its role effectively if it becomes more representative of the world in the beginning of the 21st century." Mr. Singh said U.N. reform was necessary and "even our American friends recognised this." The last significant reform took place in 1963 when the number of non-permanent members of the Security Council was increased. "I think international public opinion is now in favour of a drastic reform of the U.N. Charter for the simple reason that it does not reflect realities in today's world, particularly the Security Council."

Congratulating India for the democratic change of Government, Mr. Fischer said the economic potential in Indo-German ties should be promoted.He hoped that the visit of the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, later this year would give a fillip to the process. Supporting the talks between India and Pakistan, Mr. Fischer hoped this would lead to an improvement in the human rights situation in Kashmir. At the same time, everything should be done to ensure that there was no terrorism.

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