Final Seat On Security Council Remains Undecided

Final Seat On Security Council Remains Undecided After Latest Day Of Voting

New York, Oct 25 2006 5:00PM

The United Nations General Assembly today remained deadlocked after a fourth day of voting in the contest to fill a non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the Latin American and Caribbean region, with Guatemala maintaining its lead over Venezuela but falling short of the necessary two-thirds majority.

This latest vote takes the total number of rounds since 16 October to 36. Balloting was continuing.

Guatemala and Venezuela are contending to serve as a non-permanent Council member for a two-year term starting 1 January 2007, replacing Argentina. It is the only seat not yet determined.

In the 36th round, when 121 votes would have been enough to secure victory, Guatemala obtained 109 votes and Venezuela received 72. There were no abstentions. Guatemala has led in every round so far, with the exception of the sixth round on the first day of voting, when the two countries were tied.

Balloting will continue until a State from the region achieves the required majority. There is no limit to the number of rounds of voting and in 1979-80 there were a record 155 ballots before Mexico was chosen from the Latin American and Caribbean Group to serve a two-year term.

On 16 October Assembly members, following an agreed geographic allocation, elected Belgium, Indonesia, Italy and South Africa to serve as non-permanent members starting 1 January next year. They will replace Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania when their terms end on 31 December.

The Council’s five other non-permanent members, whose terms end on 31 December 2007, are Congo, Ghana, Peru, Qatar and Slovakia. The five permanent members, which are the only members with veto power when voting, are China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States.

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