India’s permanent UNSC seat unacceptable: Sharif tells Obama

11:13AM Fri 13 Feb, 2015

India’s permanent membership in the reformed UN Security Council (UNSC) is unacceptable to Pakistan as it has not complied with UN resolutions on Kashmir, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has told U.S. President Barack Obama. Mr. Obama called Mr. Sharif on Thursday night and both leaders discussed issues of mutual interest and those related to regional stability and peace for over half-an-hour, officials in Islamabad said. Mr. Sharif told Mr. Obama that India cannot become a UNSC permanent member due to its non-compliance of all the resolutions passed by the UN on Kashmir and has “not fulfilled the commitment to give the right of self-determination to people of Kashmir,” officials said. “India does not deserve to be a permanent member of the UN,” Mr. Sharif was quoted as saying. During his India visit in January, Mr. Obama had reaffirmed his support for a reformed UN Security Council with India as a permanent member. Mr. Sharif also said that Pakistan wanted to become a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Mr. Obama congratulated Mr. Sharif on the success of operation ‘Zarb-i-Azb’ to wipe out militants from the North Waziristan tribal region. “The President discussed his recent visit to India, and noted the United States supports all efforts by both nations to improve ties,” the White House said in a statement. -The  Hindu