As India assumes the month-long presidency of the UN Security Council, the international community has "very high expectations" from it, New Delhi's envoy to the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri said today.
Puri said India will conduct itself with "political maturity, dignity" and in a manner which enhances the prestige of the Security Council and which serves the overall interest of the UN.
"More than India, rest of the international community has very high expectations from India's presidency of the Council.
"Not only will we meet those expectations but after we are through with the presidency... People will say here is a country which truly deserves to be a permanent member" of the UNSC, Puri told PTI here.
India, which assumed the rotating presidency of the UNSC yesterday, had last held the position in December 1992.
Puri said while the presidency does give India an opportunity to focus on issues of importance to it, India will be "very realistic about what Security Council membership entails and what the presidency of the council involves".
He added that India does not want to be short-sighted and immature by utilising the presidency to push forward few issues of paramount concern only to it.
"The manner in which you conduct yourself in the deliberations of the Council, the kind of positions you take, the political maturity which you display not only as the member of the Council but more in the presidency, those ultimately reflect on the country's credentials".
