Italy opposes India bid for UN council membership

Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Franco Frattini tell reporters the two countries shared a common view on the UN reforms.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Italy on Thursday joined hands to oppose the Indian bid for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council within a week of US President Barack Obama throwing his weight behind New Delhi’s aspiration to become part of the world’s powerful decision-making body.

The two countries also decided to rejuvenate efforts at the international level to block UN reforms that seek expansion of the Security Council in the permanent category.

Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi and his Italian counterpart Franco Frattini, after their talks, told reporters that the two countries shared a common view on the UN reforms. “Our position is very clear: we don’t support the expansion of the UN Security Council in the permanent category,” said the Italian foreign minister when he was asked to comment on the US endorsement of an Indian bid for permanent membership of the ‘exclusive club’.

Pakistan and Italy are leading a Uniting for Consensus Group (UCP) that opposes new permanent members on the UNSC and strongly advocates expansion in the non-permanent category.

“We have decided to rejuvenate our efforts from the platform of Uniting for Consensus Group,” said Foreign Minister Qureshi. He said Pakistan is also in contact with China on the latest development.

President Asif Zardari, who left for China earlier in the day, will discuss the issue with the Chinese leadership. China has reacted cautiously to President Obama’s statement, saying it understands India’s position on the UN reforms.

“We (Pakistan and China) are on the same page,” Qureshi insisted.

Discussing the current Afghan situation, Pakistan and Italy agreed that the use of force alone will not help take the global battle against extremism to its logical end. “We certainly support Afghan reintegration and reconciliation plan,” said the Italian foreign minister. However, he added, the Taliban must renounce violence and al Qaeda and accept the Afghan constitution before they are reintegrated into the political fold. “Pakistan believes that the current Afghan strategy is correct,” remarked Qureshi but added that its success will depend on how the plan is implemented. “We cannot pass any value judgements at this stage,” was his response when asked to give Pakistan’s perspective on the current Afghan strategy.

The Italian minister also held separate meetings with Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Army Chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani. In a meeting with the Prime Minister, the two sides discussed cooperation in different fields. The premier thanked the Italian foreign minister for his country’s assistance for the flood survivors and advocated Pakistan’s case for a free trade agreement with the European Union.

In the meeting with the army chief, the Italian foreign minister discussed defence cooperation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2010.