"I can say that the interpretation by the press was absolutely incorrect," Putin told reporters here, less than 24 hours after his remarks were interpreted as Moscow's opposition to granting veto power to any new permanent members of the Security Council as part of UN reform.

His remark came just before his departure for Bangalore on the second leg of his three-day visit to India that began Friday.

India quickly welcomed the clarification.
 
"I am glad he said it," said External Affairs Minister K. Natwar Singh.

Earlier Saturday, the Russian president told Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat that the media had got his statement at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh all wrong.

An external affairs ministry spokesman gave out the gist of Putin's remarks to Shekhawat, who called on the Russian leader in his suite at Maurya Sheraton Hotel.

An authoritative Indian source agreed with the Russian leader, who said the confusion was solely due to the media misreading what he said.

"They (Russia) fully support India's permanent membership with all the privileges that go with it," the source asserted. 

On Saturday, in his meeting with Shekhawat and later with opposition leader L.K. Advani, "Putin categorically rejected the interpretation given by some newspaper reports on his remarks about veto powers in an expanded Security Council", said the Indian spokesman.

"(Putin) said he had emphasised the need of retaining the instrument of veto as a means of ensuring the effectiveness of the UN Security Council," the spokesman said.

"In extending full support to India's candidature, he felt that India as a new member should have the full rights of permanent membership, including the right of veto.

"He said that if India achieves a permanent seat in the Security Council, it cannot be a permanent member of a second rank."

The clarification by the Russian leader suggested that the "misinterpretation" probably arose as he was speaking through an interpreter.

Putin was asked at a press conference here Friday whether Russia would support India's entry into the Security Council with veto power.

His winding reply rejecting erosion of the veto tool of the permanent members was widely interpreted as a reflection of the keenness of Russia and the other four permanent members of the UN Security Council - China, Britain, France and the US - to close the gates to their exclusive club.

"Speaking about the role of veto, we should say that we believe it would be absolutely unacceptable to erode such tools of the UN," Putin had said, stunning Indians.

"Because, otherwise, the UN organisation will lose its weight and lose its role changing into some discussion club, some new addition of the League of Nations," he said. "I think that would be a destructive approach."

But a Joint Declaration issued by Putin and Manmohan Singh emphasised the necessity of comprehensive reforms in the UN system so as to reflect both the enlarged membership in the UN and the contemporary realities.

"India and Russia emphasise that the expansion of the UN Security Council is an urgent imperative to make the Security Council more representative and effective. In this framework, the Russian Federation reiterates once again that it regards India as an influential and major member of the international community. 

"The Russian Federation reaffirms its support to India as a deserving and strong candidate for the permanent membership in an expanded UN Security Council," the declaration said. 

--Indo-Asian News Service