WASHINGTON: The United States has acknowledged that despite its support, India was unlikely to get a permanent seat in the UN Security Council anytime soon.

Robert Blake, US Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs, told a briefing at Washington’s Foreign Press Centre that the expansion of UNSC was, “a very complex process that has to take place — many, many contenders for permanent seat — there is a whole question of veto”.

The United States, he said, “needs to have a very serious and detailed conversation with all our friends who are competing for these seats”.

During a visit to India last week, President Barack Obama endorsed India’s bid for a permanent seat in the UNSC saying that the world body needed reforms to accommodate the changes that have taken place since the World War Two.

“I would caution against expecting any kind of breakthrough anytime soon,” Mr Blake said.

“I think the President and others have made it clear that this (reform) is going to be a long and complicated process and that we are committed to a modest expansion both of permanent and non-permanent seats,” he said. The official said the only “real change” Mr Obama announced was US support to India’s permanent seat in the 15-membered UNSC, but “we have always been clear that this is going to be a long-term and very complicated process”.

Mr Blake, however, said that the US support for India’s bid was unconditional.

He noted that in statements made during his visit to India, President Obama had emphasised the need to fight terrorism in South Asia but he was also “very clear that Pakistan itself has been the chief victim of international terrorism”.