ASSEMBLY FILLS 17 VACANCIES ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL; THREE-YEAR TERMS FOR 13 NEW MEMBERS, 4 RE-ELECTED MEMBERS

31 October 1996

Press Release
GA/9148

ASSEMBLY FILLS 17 VACANCIES ON ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL; THREE-YEAR TERMS FOR 13 NEW MEMBERS, 4 RE-ELECTED MEMBERS

19961031 Further Ballot to be Held for Remaining Open Seat, From Among Candidates of Asian Group of Member States

The General Assembly this morning elected Cape Verde, Cuba, Djibouti, El Salvador, Gambia, Iceland, Latvia, Mexico, Mozambique, Republic of Korea, Spain, Turkey and Zambia and re-elected Chile, France, Germany and Japan to three-year terms on the 54-member Economic and Social Council. The States will fill 17 of the 18 seats to be vacated on 31 December. One seat remains to be filled from among the Group of Asian States.

Those elections were determined during two rounds of balloting with the following countries obtaining the required two-thirds majority during the first round of balloting: Cape Verde, Chile, Cuba, Djibouti, El Salvador, France, Gambia, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, Mozambique, Spain, Turkey and Zambia. The elections of Latvia and the Republic of Korea were determined during the second round of voting. In a third ballot, to fill the remaining Asian seat, neither candidate received the necessary two-thirds majority to be elected.

The elections were for seats being vacated by five members of the Group of African States (Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe); three members of the Asian States (Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan); one member of the Eastern European States (Bulgaria); four members of the Latin American and Caribbean States (Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Venezuela); and five members of Western European and Other States (France, Germany, Greece, Ireland and Portugal). All of those countries were eligible for immediate re- election. To maintain the same geographic distribution on the Council, vacated seats are being filled by members of the same regional group.

The Assembly will meet again at 3 p.m. today to fill the remaining vacancy from the Group of Asian States.

Assembly Work Programme

The General Assembly met this morning to fill 18 vacancies on the 54-member Economic and Social Council. A third of the members retire each year. Candidates to fill their seats are elected by secret ballot to three- year terms. A two-thirds majority of votes cast is required for election.

The 18 vacancies to be filled today -- for terms to begin on 1 January 1997 -- are being created by the expiration on 31 December next of the terms of five members of the Group of African States (Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, United Republic of Tanzania and Zimbabwe); three members of the Asian States (Indonesia, Japan, Pakistan); one member of the Eastern European States (Bulgaria); four members of the Latin American and Caribbean States (Chile, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Venezuela); and five members of Western European and Other States (France, Germany, Greece, Ireland and Portugal). All of those countries are eligible for immediate re-election.

The members of the Council are elected according to the following pattern of geographic distribution: 14 from among the African States; 11 from the Asian States; six from Eastern European States; 10 from Latin American and Caribbean States; and 13 from Western European and Other States. To maintain that distribution, vacated seats will be filled by members of the same regional group.

Member States who remain on the Council are: Argentina, Australia, Bangladesh, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, Central African Republic, China, Colombia, Congo, Côte d'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Finland, Gabon, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Jordan, Lebanon, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Netherlands, Nicaragua, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russian Federation, South Africa, Sudan, Sweden, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, United Kingdom and the United States.

Statement by the President

The President of the Assembly, RAZALI ISMAIL (Malaysia), said that he had been informed that the African Group had endorsed Cape Verde, Djibouti, Gambia, Mozambique and Zambia to fill the five vacant seats allotted to the African Group. To fill the five vacant seats allotted to the Western European and Other States, the Group had endorsed France, Germany, Iceland, Spain and Turkey.

General Assembly Plenary - 3 - Press Release GA/9148 47th Meeting (AM) 31 October 1996

The results of the first round of voting were as follows:

African States (5 vacancies)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 181 Required majority: 121

Number of votes obtained:

Mozambique: 178 Gambia: 173 Zambia: 172 Djibouti: 171 Cape Verde: 167 Algeria: 8 Kenya: 6 Ghana: 5 Morocco: 3 Ethiopia: 3 Zimbabwe: 1 Namibia: 1

Asian States (3 vacancies)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 181 Required majority: 121

Number of votes obtained:

Japan: 127 Republic of Korea: 118 Sri Lanka: 90 Viet Nam: 84 Indonesia: 76 Syria: 30 Papua New Guinea: 5 Pakistan: 3 Cambodia: 1

General Assembly Plenary - 4 - Press Release GA/9148 47th Meeting (AM) 31 October 1996

Eastern European States (1 vacancy)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 2 Number of valid ballots: 179 Abstentions: 2 Number of Members voting: 177 Required majority: 118

Number of votes obtained:

Latvia: 116 Bulgaria: 61

Latin American and Caribbean States (4 vacancies)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 181 Required majority: 121

Number of votes obtained:

Chile: 156 Cuba: 147 Mexico: 146 El Salvador: 133 Venezuela: 120 Guatemala: 3 Costa Rica: 1 Ecuador: 1 Panama: 1 Peru: 1

General Assembly Plenary - 5 - Press Release GA/9148 47th Meeting (AM) 31 October 1996

Western European and Other States (5 vacancies)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 2 Number of Members voting: 179 Required majority: 120

Number of votes obtained:

Germany: 176 France: 174 Iceland: 168 Turkey: 167 Spain: 7 Greece: 5 Portugal: 5 Italy: 2 Austria: 1 Belgium: 1

Having obtained the two-thirds majority required, Cape Verde, Cuba, Djibouti, El Salvador, Gambia, Iceland, Mexico, Mozambique, Spain, Turkey and Zambia were elected; and Chile, France, Germany and Japan were re-elected.

The PRESIDENT announced that the Assembly would proceed with two restricted ballots to fill the remaining two Asian seats (Republic of Korea, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam and Indonesia) and the one Eastern European seat (Bulgaria and Latvia).

The results of the second round of voting were as follows:

Asian States (2 vacancies)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 181 Required majority: 121

Number of votes obtained:

Republic of Korea: 128 Sri Lanka: 91 Viet Nam: 78 Indonesia: 61

General Assembly Plenary - 6 - Press Release GA/9148 47th Meeting (AM) 31 October 1996

Eastern European States (1 vacancy)

Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 1 Number of Members voting: 180 Required majority: 120

Number of votes obtained:

Latvia: 138 Bulgaria: 42

The Republic of Korea and Latvia, obtaining the necessary two-thirds majority, were elected as Council members.

The PRESIDENT announced that the Assembly would proceed to a third round of voting, between Sri Lanka and Viet Nam, to fill the remaining Asian seat.

The results of the third round of voting were as follows:

Asian States (1 vacancy)

Number of ballot papers: 174 Number of invalid ballots: 3 Number of valid ballots: 171 Abstentions: 3 Number of Members voting: 168 Required majority: 112

Number of votes obtained:

Sri Lanka: 105 Viet Nam: 63

As neither candidate received the required two-thirds majority, the one remaining Asian seat remained to be filled. The Assembly was to hold a further ballot this afternoon.

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