Monday, July 14, 2008
Yudhoyono : UNSC Membership Must be Changed
Source: Antara News

Jakarta - Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said the membership of the UN Security Council (UNSC) should be changed and adjusted with present developments in the world.

"Indonesia agrees to the idea of revamping the UN's organization because the world situation today is different from what it was in the post-World War II era," Yudhoyono said at a joint press conference with his Brazilian counterpart Luis Inacio Lula da Silva at the State Palace here on Saturday.

The press conference was conducted after a bilateral meeting between the two state leaders which was followed by the signing of three cooperation agreements between the two countries.

Yudhoyono on the occasion explained that the global interest at present has changed and therefore the UNSC's membership should be revised to meet the interest of other nations around the world.

"Indonesia takes the positive and constructive attitude on the expansion of the UNSC's permanent membership," Yudhoyono said.

The Indonesian head of state added that he would support Brazil if the country was proposed to be one of the UNSC members.

"One of many countries believed to be eligible for UNSC permanent membership is Brazil. Indonesia is also one of them because it is the world's most populous Muslim country with its important role in Southeast Asia," Yudhoyono said.

Therefore, the president said, if Brazil asked Indonesia to support its effort to be a member of the UNSC, Indonesia would do it constructively with an overall consideration about a good change in the UN.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Lula da Silva on the occasion expressed his gratitude for Indonesia's support for Brazil to be a UNSC member.

According to the Brazilian head of state, the United Nations at present needed to be modernized with additional permanent members of UNSC.

"A lot of things relating to geography, politics, social, and economy, should be expressed in the UN Security Council in order to be more representative," Lula da Silva said.