Up to members to expand UN Security Council, says Guterres

NEW DELHI: India is an "important partner" in the global multilateral system though it is for the member states of the United Nations (UN) to decide which countries should be included in a reformed Security Council, UN Antonio Secretary-General Guterres said on Friday.

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Addressing a media briefing ahead of the G20 Summit in New Delhi, Guterres said in the context of the Ukraine conflict that the UN cannot be held responsible for the actions of member states. He was responding to a question on whether the dysfunctionality of the UN has resulted in bodies such as the G20 being called on to do more to settle crises such as the Ukraine conflict. While India has the world's largest population and is an important partner in the global multilateral system, it is for UN member states to decide who should be in the Security Council, he said in response to a question on whether India should be included in the world body's top decision-making organ. "It is not for me to decide who is going to be in the Security Council. It is for me to say that I believe we need the reform of the Security Council to reflect the realities of today's world," he added.