News Gossip 24

Colombo, Sept 27 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Tuesday that his government will support India-Japan efforts for permanent membership of the UN Security Council.

President Wickremesinghe is currently in Japan to attend the state funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi on Tuesday, Wickremesinghe appreciated Japan’s support for Sri Lanka at the international level, according to a release from the president’s cabinet.

According to the press release, Wickremesinghe said his government is willing to support the two countries’ (India-Japan) campaign to become permanent members of the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

India has been very active over the years in its efforts to reform the Security Council. India maintains that it has the right to become a permanent member of the Security Council and the current draft of the Security Council does not reflect the geopolitical realities of the 21st century.

There are currently five permanent members and ten non-permanent member states on the United Nations Security Council. The non-permanent members are elected by the United Nations General Assembly for a two-year term.

The five permanent members include Russia, Britain, China, France and the US, and these countries have veto powers so they can block any proposal if they wish.

India is also currently a non-permanent member of the Security Council, but his term ends in December.