US formulating stance on Security Council: Saran

The United States is "still formulating its stance" on the question of the expansion of the UNSC, Foreign Secy Shyam Saran said.

The United States is "still formulating its stance" on the question of the expansion of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran has said.

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Saran, who wrapped up his three-day visit here which was partly aimed at preparing for Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's official visit in July, said the US is looking at the whole reform of the United Nations, of which expansion of the Security Council is just one part.

Asked if it would be considered a failure if the prime minister's visit did not manage to convince Washington to support its permanent membership of the council with full veto power, Saran said the visit could not be pegged on just one issue.

While membership of the Council was important for India, bilateral ties were equally important.

Saran said he was not willing to go beyond what was said in the draft framework resolution on the Security Council tabled at the UN by India along with Japan, Germany and Brazil on May 16. Some media reports recently suggested that Washington was opposed to giving the new members the veto power.

Saran said the bilateral energy dialogue, which was one of the key components of bilateral relations, was set to pick up momentum when Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of India's Planning Commission, would visit here towards the end of the month.

Ahluwalia's visit will be followed by the first official visit by Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee at the end of the month. Directly or indirectly these visits are aimed at evolving a clear agenda when Manmohan Singh meets President George W Bush in July.

Although no dates have been announced, sources said that Singh's visit would be scheduled around mid-July. He is expected to meet Bush on July 18. The next day he is likely to address a joint session of Congress.