Unfazed by the views expressed by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan on the issue of veto for new permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, India on Friday asserted the debate on the issue is still 'open'.
External Affairs Minister K Natwar Singh maintained that India will demand veto power if it gets the permanent seat in the Security Council.
"There are many views on this (veto issue)," he told reporters in New Delhi when asked to comment on Annan's statement asking India and other UN Security Council aspirants not to press for veto as the 'Permanent Five' are not in favour of this.
"There is a view that veto should be abolished. Another view is that no one country should have veto and there should be at least three countries (with such privilege) and there is also a view that there should be no discrimination between the current and new members," Singh noted.
"Don't conclude that A, B or C has happened. The process is on," he said on the sidelines of a function to launch 'Indo-Japan Parliamentary Forum'.
Pointing out that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had already made the position clear in Parliament, there are other countries also, besides India, wanting the veto power.
"A decision on this will not be taken by the Security Council but the General Assembly," the external affairs minister emphasized, adding,
"There are 192 members of the UN and talks have to be held with all".
He said special envoys are being despatched to all the 192 UN member countries to garner support for India's claim.
Asked whether discussions will also be held with the five Permanent members of the Security Council, he shot back, "How did you reach the conclusion that we are not doing it?"
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