Russia to back India's UN seat plea

Russia will support India's claim for a permanent seat in the United Nations Security Council, senior Russian diplomats have said.

Russian federation embassy senior political counsellor Dr Vladimir P Kozin and counsellor (economic) Sergie Overchenko said, ''Russia will certainly support India's claim for a permanent Security Council membership. Russia is committed to it.''

Russia, they said, considers India an emerging power in the world. Russian President Boris Yeltsin had conveyed his country's stand on India's claim during last year's visit to Moscow by then prime minister H D Deve Gowda. Russia had also made its stand clear at the 53rd UN General Assembly meeting in New York last month, they said.

During Yeltsin's visit to India, they said various agreements will be signed to strengthen strategic relations between the two countries. Yeltsin arrives in New Delhi on January 19 on a two-day visit.

UNI

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