ASSEMBLY ELECTS CHILE, EGYPT, GUINEA-BISSAU, POLAND, REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO TWO-YEAR TERMS ON SECURITY COUNCIL
Press Release
GA/8989
ASSEMBLY ELECTS CHILE, EGYPT, GUINEA-BISSAU, POLAND, REPUBLIC OF KOREA TO TWO-YEAR TERMS ON SECURITY COUNCIL
19951108 The General Assembly this morning elected Chile, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Poland and Republic of Korea to two-year terms on the Security Council, filling non-permanent seats to be vacated on 31 December by Argentina, Czech Republic, Nigeria, Oman and Rwanda.Representatives of South Africa, on behalf of the African States, of Brunei Darussalam, on behalf of Asian States, and of Bolivia, for Latin American and Caribbean States, took the floor to endorse candidates from their respective groups. The representative of Albania, on behalf of the Eastern European Group, said it could not endorse any one candidate. Speaking in his capacity as Albania's representative, he presented his own country as a candidate. Also making statements on their respective candidacies were the representatives of Benin, Poland and Egypt. The representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea spoke in opposition to the Asian Group's proposed candidate.
The Assembly will meet again at 10 a.m. tomorrow, 9 November, to continue its consideration of the situation in Central America: procedures for the establishment of a firm and lasting peace and progress in fashioning a region of peace, freedom, democracy and development.
Security Council Elections
The Assembly President, DIEGO FREITAS AMARAL (Portugal), reminded the Assembly that the five outgoing members of the Council were: Argentina, Czech Republic, Nigeria, Oman and Rwanda. He said that of the five non-permanent members which would remain in office (Botswana, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia and Italy), two were from Africa and Asia, one was from Latin America and the Caribbean States, and two were from Western European and Other States. Consequently, the five non-permanent members should be elected according to the following pattern: three from Africa and Asia, one from Eastern Europe and one from Latin America and the Caribbean. In accordance with the established practice, there was an understanding that of the three States to be elected from Asia and Africa, two should be from Africa and one from Asia.
KHIPHUSIZIJ JELE (South Africa), on behalf of the African States, endorsed the candidacy of Guinea-Bissau and Egypt.
PENEGRAN HAJI ABDUL MOMIN (Brunei Darussalam), on behalf of the Asian States, endorsed the Republic of Korea.
YON GIL PARK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea), speaking on a point of order, said the statement by the Asian Group was not accurate. His country had objected to the Asian candidate for the Security Council because its membership in the Council would not contribute to peace and security in the Korean peninsula, which was still in a state of war. He requested that States consider the situation in the Korean peninsula in casting their votes.
PELLUMB KULLA (Albania), on behalf of Eastern European States, said that Group was not in a position to endorse a candidate. Albania and Poland were both candidates for the seat on the Security Council.
EDGAR CAMACHO-OMISTE (Bolivia), on behalf of Latin American and Caribbean States, endorsed the candidacy of Chile.
Mr. KULLA (Albania) said he wished to introduce his country as a candidate for the Security Council. According to the Charter, the General Assembly should pay due regard to the contribution of a candidate to the maintenance of peace and security, as well as to geographical distribution. Albania had respected the Charter and had actively cooperated with the United Nations, joining all constructive initiatives in favour of peace and security. Further, Albania had promoted good-neighbourliness in its region. It contributed personnel to United Nations peace-keeping operations. Albania had discharged all of its financial obligations to the Organization.
The election of Albania would serve to promote the interests of geographical distribution on the Council in that it had been some years since its sub-region had been represented on that body, he went on. Since joining the United Nations in 1955, Albania had never served on the Council. It was now prepared to fully undertake its responsibilities as a member of the Council should it be elected.
RENE VALERY MONGBE (Benin) said his Government had decided to become a candidate for one of the non-permanent seats allocated to Africa for the coming two-year term.
ZBIGNIEW MARIA WLOSOWICZ (Poland) confirmed his country's candidature for the Security Council for the coming two-year term. It had been campaigning for the seat for several years. Poland was active in a number of United Nations fields, and was one of the largest contributors to peace- keeping operations, he said. Although his country had previously served on the Security Council, it had done so under very different political
General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/8989 53rd Meeting (AM) 8 November 1995
circumstances. "This time we will have a chance to speak with our own voice, and we want to use it for the benefit of the community of States."
NABIL A. ELARABY (Egypt), referring to the statement made by South Africa, recalled that the African Group, meeting at the ministerial level, had endorsed Egypt as the candidate for north Africa.
The results of the voting for the election of five non-permanent members of the Security Council for a two-year term beginning on 1 January 1996 were as follows:
African and Asian States
Number of ballot papers: 177 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 177 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 177 Required majority: 118
Number of Votes Obtained:
Egypt: 159 Republic of Korea: 156 Guinea-Bissau: 128 Benin: 60 Ghana: 1 Tunisia: 1
Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers: 177 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 176 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 176 Required majority: 118
Number of Votes Obtained:
Poland: 128 Albania: 48
General Assembly Plenary - 4 - Press Release GA/8989 53rd Meeting (AM) 8 November 1995
Latin American and Caribbean States
Number of ballot papers: 177 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 176 Abstentions: 7 Number of Members voting: 169 Required majority: 113
Number of Votes Obtained:
Chile: 168 Mexico: 1
Having obtained the required two-thirds majority, the following States were declared elected to the Security Council for two-year terms, beginning on 1 January 1996: Chile, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Poland and Republic of Korea.
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