COLOMBO, March 9 (ANI): Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said Monday that a peace-loving country like India should be made a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC).
Speaking to ANI, Premadasa said Sri Lanka has long supported reforms to the United Nations system so that it better reflects current global power realities.
“The United Nations system should reflect the global power configuration, which is why I have been an open proponent of India being made a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council,” he said. “As you know very well, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council right now have the major enforcement powers of the UN system. I certainly think that a peace-loving country such as India must be given its due place because it is a pragmatic and realistic reflection of global power realities.”
When asked about the role of the United Nations amid ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, Premadasa said the institution was created with norms intended to prevent the use of force.
“The United Nations system of global governance emerged in the post-World War II period. It was a structure established with prescriptive norms—norms that would deprive the use of force under Article 2.4, norms that would prevent intervention in the internal affairs of a state under Article 2.7, and the use of force only for self-defense under Article 51,” he said.
“These norms were formulated to promote international peace and security, and we must give credit to the fact that there has not been any major world war in the post-World War II period up to this date,” he added.
Premadasa warned that the ongoing regional conflict could escalate into a broader global confrontation if it continues to intensify.
“The danger of the present war is that it could transform into global power competition among the great powers and superpowers. It could become a continuation of the Cold War, in fact transforming the Cold War into a hot war, which is very scary and could be apocalyptic. We must avoid that,” he said.
He also called on nations to adhere strictly to the principles outlined in the United Nations Charter.
“The United Nations Charter has established an international regime of rules, regulations, and norms that protect members of the international community. We must ensure that the provisions of the United Nations Charter are protected and strengthened to the greatest possible extent,” he said.
His remarks come as the United States and Israel continue strikes on Iran, with explosions reported in Qom and Tehran hours after Israeli attacks on oil facilities caused toxic smoke across the Iranian capital. (ANI)
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