Pakistan backed India's candidature for one of the non-permanent seats at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) which was unanimously supported by the Asia-Pacific Group of the world body on Wednesday. Pakistan was among the 55 Asia-Pacific Group countries including China, Afghanistan, Nepal, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Vietnam who endorsed India's candidature for non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council for a two-year term in 2021-22.
The move, according to a Pakistani diplomat, was in line with the mutual diplomatic principles, as India had also backed Pakistan's candidature for non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council from 2012-13. Furthermore, he maintained that India was backed on the basis of the unanimous endorsement by the Asia-Pacific Group.
The source further explained that the Asia Pacific Group's endorsement of Indian candidature for a non-permanent seat of the UN Security Council was not an election, adding that elections for the term 2021-22 will take place in New York in June 2020.
"As per established practice, the countries contesting elections for non-permanent seats of the UN Security Council seek endorsements by respective regional groups,"' he said.
As for Asia Pacific, in cases where a country is the only candidate for non-permanent seat, the Group automatically endorses the candidature, he further explained. For the term 2021-2022, there was only one candidature from Asia against one seat.
Recent endorsed candidatures of Pakistan by the Asia Pacific Group (of which India is a member) included Vice President of UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), member of the Committee on Contributions and member UNICEF Executive Board, he added.