United Nations

United Nations Security Council Watch: Guatemala Leads Security Council Vote But Fails to Win Super Majority

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Members of the Guatemalan delegation including Guatemala’s Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal, left, reacts to the results of the 13th round of votes to fill a seat on the Security Council which the anti-U.S. administration of Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez wants badly while Washington backs Guatemala, Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2006, at United Nations headquarters.

AP: Guatemala leads Venezuela in U.N. vote

Guatemala failed repeatedly to muster the necessary votes to beat out Venezuela for a Latin American seat on the U.N. Security Council, prompting diplomats on Tuesday to demand a compromise candidate.

In the 16th round of voting in the 192-member General Assembly, Guatemala had gained 108 votes to Venezuela’s 76, results that differed little from previous rounds. That was short of the necessary 123 for a two-thirds majority to win a two-year stint on the U.N.’s most powerful body.

The voting results led diplomats to call for an alternative — a step that would require the United Nations’ Latin American and Caribbean group of nations to agree on a new candidate. Guatemala and Venezuela would also have to give up their campaigns.

Guatemala has contributed many peacekeeping troops to various United Nations missions and it is a damn shame that Hugo Chavez and his machinations are preventing Guatemala from obtaining this seat. Venezuela which has had membership previously on the UNSC should withdraw.

However, if a withdrawl is not forthcoming any of the compromise countries: Uruguay, Costa Rica, Mexico or the Dominican Republic should be expeditiously chosen.

In any event, President Bush will be blamed for the impasse.

Stay tuned………


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