New Delhi
13 July 2005
India's candidacy for a permanent seat in the United Nations
Security Council remains uncertain but New Delhi is hopeful of enlisting the support of
the African Union for the G-4 resolution although none of the 53 members has agreed to
co-sponsor the resolution yet.
New Delhi's optimism stems in part from the African Union's favourable response to
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's letter promising a 1.5 billion-dollar line of credit,
which was personally carried by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Rao Inderjit
Singh, and from the overtures by Francophone countries comprising the "Team 9" after
India approved development projects worth 260 million-dollars for them.
"India's visible presence reinforced G-4's efforts to persuade the African Union to vote
en bloc," official sources said. Mr Rao Inderjit Singh had recently led a four-member
delegation to the AU summit in Libya earlier this month. "There is also exceptional
support for India as we are seen as a partner in Africa's development," they said and
hoped the United States supports India's efforts as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
gets ready to embark on his first state visit to that country.
The sources said African Union's stance is expected to become known by July 17, ahead
of the prime minister's meeting with US President George Bush, after the G-4 holds talks
with representatives of African Union in order to "align" their resolution with that of the G-
4.
The scramble for securing a permanent berth may have reached its last lap but
differences still persist over the quantum and character of representation. The African
Union seeks one more non-permanent member from the continent and veto rights while
the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation has made it known that it is in favour of forging a
consensus first.
The G-4 declaration adopted last week was introduced in the UN General Assembly on
Monday. A two-thirds majority, or 128 members, is required to get the resolution passed
by the 191-member General Assembly. The voting is likely to take place around July 20.
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