Roemer hints at Obama announcing US support for India’s UNSC permanent membership

NEW DELHI - US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, has hinted that President Barack Obama, who is to undertake a state visit of India in the first week of November, may announce Washington’s backing for granting permanent membership for India in the United Nations Security Council.

Talking exclusively to ANI TV, Roemer said: “India is stepping up on a world stage, a rising power with increased influence and impact and that’s something President of United States is going to address that role, its a very exciting and historic time for US India partnership time for India.”

When asked whether Obama would announce US support for permanent membership while addressing both houses of the Indian parliament, Roemer said: “I can’t preview something that a president have a interest in talking about, I can tell things like rise of new India, rise of middle class, rise of India as a global power and then you can speculate what president of US might say about UN membership, certainly India is showing tremendous leadership in some very specific areas where the worldommunity is taking note of.”

India has recently won a non-permanent membership seat at the UN Security Council with an unprecedented support of 187 members.

Emboldened by the victory India has vowed to work relentlessly to achieve permanent membership at the United Nations Security Council and along with G-4 have stepped up the pitch for the reforms of the world body.

Out of five permanent members, United Kingdom, France and Russia have already expressed their support for India’s candidature for the permanent membership at the Security Council, China and United States are yet to make their positions clear. By Naveen Kapoor (ANI)