World larger than 5: Erdogan endorses India’s bid for permanent seat at UNSC

NEW DELHI: In an endorsement of India's bid for a permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sunday said his nation would be “proud” if a country like India became a full member of the UNSC.

Referring to the five permanent members of the Security Council — US, UK, China, France, and Russia — that are vested with the veto power, the Turkish President said the world is bigger and larger than five.

He proposed that all 195 member countries of the United Nations should get an opportunity to become a member of the Security Council by rotation.

Addressing a press conference on the concluding day of the 18th G20 Leaders' Summit on Sunday, Erdogan said, “We would be proud if a country like India became a permanent member of the UN Security Council. As you know, the world is bigger and larger than five (permanent members). And when we say the world is larger than five, what we mean is that it's not only about the US, UK, France, China, and Russia. We don’t want to have just these five countries on the Security Council."

Making a strong case for a rotational system for the members of the UNSC, the Turkish President said, "Right now, there are 15 members in the UNSC — 5 permanent and 10 by rotation. What we propose is that all of them should be permanent members. All nations should have an opportunity to be a member of the UN body by rotation. As of now, the UN has 195 member countries. So, we propose a rotational mechanism whereby each and every member, every single one of the 195 member countries, can potentially become a member (UNSC). This is what we propose."

Erdogan said only five permanent UNSC members cannot be the combined voice of the whole world. “What the five members say should not determine the voice of the whole world. All 195 member countries, without making any distinction between permanent and non-permanent, should potentially be able to become a member of the Security Council. Only then will the whole world be happy,” the Turkish President added.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with President Erdogan on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, with the discussions focused on ways to strengthen trade relations and boost connectivity and infrastructure.

The Turkish President said India is the country's greatest trade partner in South Asia and there was great potential for the two nations to take economic and commercial ties forward.

"India is our greatest trade partner in South Asia and we have great potential to deepen our partnership in the sphere of economy and other sectors," Erdogan said on Sunday. The Turkish President thanked India for “a gracious and very successful term of the presidency”.

“I would like to thank PM Modi for the gracious hospitality that was shown to me, my spouse and my entire Turkish delegation,” he said.