New Delhi: India and France on Tuesday discussed reforms of the United Nations, with particular emphasis on the UN Security Council (UNSC), as Secretary (West) in the Ministry of External Affairs, Sibi George, met French Special Envoy for Global Governance and Emerging Countries Emmanuel Lenain.
“Secretary (West) Sibi George met Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain, French Special Envoy for Global Governance and Emerging Countries. They discussed reforms of the UN, with particular emphasis on the UN Security Council,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X.
The meeting comes a day after External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar met French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) High Level Week in New York, where UNSC reform was also on the agenda.
“Pleasure to meet FM Jean-Noel Barrot of France. Our regular meetings and telecons enable us to maintain the momentum of our Special Global Strategic Partnership. They discussed regional and global issues, specifically the Ukraine and Gulf crisis. Also exchanged views on multilateral issues, including the reform of the UN Security Council,” Jaishankar posted on X.
In New York, Jaishankar also held the first joint meeting with the Visegrad 4 group of Slovakia, Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic. Slovakia’s Foreign Minister Juraj Blanar, who organised the meeting, described India as an “upcoming superpower” and announced the group’s collective support for India’s bid for a permanent seat on the UNSC.
“We all agree, the four countries, that India…must be at the table as a permanent member of the UN Security Council,” Blanar told journalists.
Jaishankar also co-chaired the inaugural Partners for Multilateralism, International Law, Peace and Prosperity (P4M) Summit with European Council President Antonio Costa, where he called for “reformed multilateralism” with “more participative deliberations and more transparent decisions”. He said the global order was under stress from “extreme competition, geopolitical tensions, and actual conflicts”.
France has consistently supported India’s aspirations on major international platforms, including India’s candidature for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.
(IANS)
