Following Seventh Voting Round for Fifth Seat on International Court of Justice, Security Council, General Assembly Unable to Reach Agreement
The Security Council, meeting independently from, but concurrently with the General Assembly, today failed to elect the final judge for the International Court of Justice. The vacancy must be filled in February 2015, when the terms of five members will expire.
Following the 6 November election of four judges for a nine-year term beginning on 6 February 2015, the Council and the Assembly today conducted seven more rounds of simultaneous voting to fill the remaining seat but could not agree on the same candidate. Under the terms of the Court’s Statute, a candidate must obtain an absolute majority in both bodies to be elected. (See also Press Release GA/11580.)
In each of today’s rounds, Susana Ruiz Cerutti of Argentina won a majority in the Security Council and Patrick Lipton Robinson of Jamaica garnered the majority in the General Assembly (see voting details below).
As a result, further votes were scheduled in the Council and the Assembly on 17 November at 3 p.m.
Located in The Hague, Netherlands, the International Court of Justice is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. Composed of 15 judges, it adjudicates disputes between States and its legal opinions are binding. The Court also issues advisory opinions when requested to do so.
The meetings in which the votes took place today began at 10:20 a.m. and ended at 6:25 p.m.
Background
The Security Council met today, concurrently with, but independently of, the General Assembly, to elect a final member of the International Court of Justice and thereby fill a vacancy set to arrive on 5 February 2015. For background, see Press Release SC/11633.
First Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
President Gary Quinlan (Australia) informed the Council that he had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council proceeded to a second voting round.
Second Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
The President informed the Council that Ms. Cerutti (Argentina) had obtained the required majority in the Council. He had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council proceeded to a third voting round.
Third Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
The President again informed the Council that Ms. Cerutti (Argentina) had obtained the required majority of votes. He had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council proceeded to a fourth voting round.
Fourth Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
Ms. Cerutti (Argentina) again obtained the required majority of votes in the Council. The President informed delegates that he had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority of votes in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council proceeded to a fifth voting round.
Fifth Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
Ms. Cerutti (Argentina) again obtained the required majority of votes in the Council. The President informed delegates that he had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority of votes in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council proceeded to a sixth voting round.
Sixth Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
Ms. Cerutti (Argentina) again obtained the required majority of votes in the Council. The President informed delegates that he had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority of votes in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council proceeded to a seventh voting round.
Seventh Round
|
Number of ballot papers: |
15 |
|
Number of invalid ballots: |
0 |
|
Number of valid ballots: |
15 |
|
Number of abstentions: |
0 |
|
Required majority: |
8 |
|
Number of votes obtained: |
|
|
Susana Ruiz Cerutti (Argentina) |
9 |
|
Patrick Lipton Robinson (Jamaica) |
6 |
Ms. Cerutti (Argentina) again obtained the required majority of votes in the Council. The President informed delegates that he had received a letter from the President of the General Assembly stating that Mr. Robinson (Jamaica) had received the required majority of votes in that body.
As no candidate had received the required absolute majority in both the Council and the Assembly, the Council President announced that the 15-member body would hold a new voting round at 3 p.m. on Monday, 17 November, concurrently with the General Assembly.