India Caucus to move resolution for UN permanent seat

A resolution on making India a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council will be moved in the House of Representatives next week by a "significant number" of US Congressmen, Congressman Frank Pallone said in New Delhi on Sunday.

Pallone (Democrat), who has submitted a resolution along with other Congressmen, said India deserved to be the member of the Security Council. India needed a proper place in the world community being the largest democracy in the world, he said.

Pallone is part of a seven-member US Congressional delegation which held wide-ranging discussions with Prime Minister I K Gujral and Foreign Secretary K Raghunath on measures to widen and expand co-operation between the two countries. Two other Congressmen who supported the resolution -- Jon D Fox (Republican) and Sherod Brown -- were also present at the news conference where the announcement was made.

The resolution reads: "It is the sense of the House of Representatives that India should be a permanent member of the UN Security Council."

Pallone hoped that the resolution would be carried through and was optimistic that the Senate would also show the same enthusiasm towards India.

A key member of the India Caucus in the House of Representatives, Pallone hailed the Gujral doctrine saying it would help India harmonise its trade and political relationship with Pakistan. He expressed satisfaction over the the foreign secretary-level talks and hoped the two neighbours would resolve the Kashmir issue amicably.

On the differences with India on the contentious Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, Christopher Fox, the delegation's leader, said it would not come in the way of the relationship between two countries. His country had not supported India on the CTBT issue and said in the coming days, the differences would narrow down.

He admitted that the US had moved closer to Pakistan during the Cold War. However, things had changed. "We want strategic, economic, and political ties with India. Thus US wants India, not China, as a major strategic partner in this region."