UNITED NATIONS - India has called for a strong review mechanism of the UN Security Council to reflect contemporary world realities and ensure the legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness of the world body’s top decision making organ.

“India has steadfastly emphasised the importance of the UNSC reflecting contemporary world realities,” said Hardeep Singh Puri, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, during an exchange Tuesday on negotiations for equitable representation on the council.

“This is crucial also to ensuring its legitimacy, credibility and effectiveness,” he said. “In fact, the fundamental basis and motivation for our work is that the UNSC continues to reflect the world of 1945, rather than the world of today.”

Noting that a General Conference visualised by the UN Charter to review the Charter within 10 years after its adoption never materialised, Puri suggested institution of a mandatory robust review process as part of the proposed UNSC reforms.

“We believe that a strong review mechanism would also go a long way to allay the fears of some delegations against locking out further reform,” he said proposing a review after 15 years from the date of entry into force of the amendments.

Suggesting a comprehensive review looking at all aspects of the UNSC, Puri said: “We would also look favourably at the concept of periodic reviews, say every 15 years. This would ensure that the UNSC continues to reflect realities as prevalent.”

“We would be willing to engage in discussions on the concept of challenge to permanent members provided the bar for such a challenge is commensurate with and not less than the bar for permanent membership of the UNSC,” he said.

Referring to the opponents of an expansion of the Security Council, Puri said “flexibility” espoused by a small group was in reality “anchored on one real position i.e. there should be no new permanent members.”

“Once we look at their proposals from this perspective, it is abundantly clear that far from showing any flexibility, they have not moved an iota, he said. “Let us, therefore, be wary and not get carried away by repeated assertions of flexibility.”