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Annan: Veto unlikely for new members

NEW DELHI, April 28 (UPI) -- U.N. chief Kofi Annan said Thursday that India could find a permanent place in the U.N. Security Council but without veto powers.

The secretary-general, on the last day of a four-day trip to India, said there was general agreement among the five veto-wielding permanent members of the Security Council -- Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States -- for an overhaul of the panel, but they were unlikely to support sweeping changes.

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"They (permanent members) are not willing to create additional vetoes," he said.

Annan added the five nations were deliberating on his two proposals for the panel's expansion. The first plan would add six new permanent members to the existing five. The second would add a third tier of semi-permanent members, possibly made up of India, Brazil, Germany and Japan.

India says its population and growing economy warrant a permanent place on the Security Council and has been lobbying for its inclusion on the panel with global leaders. It claims the support of four of the permanent five members while Washington remains non-committal to India's claim.

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