Jordan elected to UN Security Council

Bs_logoImage
Press Trust of India United Nations
Last Updated : Dec 07 2013 | 5:24 PM IST
Jordan has been elected as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, filling a seat that Saudi Arabia had declined to accept after an earlier election to protest the world body's failure to end the Syrian and Israeli-Palestinian conflicts.
Jordan, endorsed by the African and Asian regional group, was elected yesterday to serve on the Council for two years beginning January 2014. It received 178 "yes" votes in the election in the 193-member General Assembly.
Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Jordan was "extremely honoured" and "humbled" by the near consensus support from the world community which recognised his country's "relentless efforts in the pursuit of peace and security, the very principles that the Security Council is mandated to preserve."
Jordan will be seated alongside Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria, which the General Assembly elected in October. Saudi Arabia was also elected in the October vote, but signalled that it would not accept the position.
In a November statement to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, the Saudi Foreign Ministry formally confirmed that it would not take up the UN Security Council seat.
In the statement, the Ministry apologised for its non-acceptance, explaining that the country could not serve on the Council until the body is "reformed and enabled, effectively and practically, to carry out its duties and responsibilities in maintaining international peace and security.
The Foreign Ministry cited the situation of the Palestinian cause, lacking a just and lasting solution for 65 years, as "irrefutable evidence and proof of the Security Council's inability to carry out its duties and assume its responsibilities".
It also laments the Council's "failure to make the Middle East a zone free of all weapons of mass destruction."
It added that "allowing the ruling regime in Syria to kill and burn its people with chemical weapons while the world stands idly by, without applying deterrent sanctions against the Damascus regime, is also irrefutable evidence and proof of the inability of the Security Council to carry out its duties and responsibilities."
Jordan has held the seat twice before since joining the world body in 1955. It will be president of the Security Council for the first month it is on the council. The council presidency rotates monthly in alphabetical order and Jordan follows France, which has the presidency in December
The five permanent members with veto powers are the US, UK, China, France and Russia. Non-permanent members Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda will remain on the Council until the end of 2014.
Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Access to Exclusive Premium Stories Online

  • Over 30 behind the paywall stories daily, handpicked by our editors for subscribers

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Dec 07 2013 | 5:23 PM IST