POLITICS
TURKEY WILL HAVE BROADER OPPORTUNITIES IN RESOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL AND REGIONAL PROBLEMS, TURKISH AMBASSADOR
Turkey will have broader opportunities in resolution of international and regional problems, Turkish ambassador to Azerbaijan Hulusi Kilic told Monday a press conference on Turkey`s election as one of five new non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council.
The ambassador said Turkey and Austria defeated Iceland for the two open seats for the Western European and Others Group, garnering 151 votes and 133 respectively. They will replace Belgium and Italy.
The ambassador added that Turkey would continue to make its contribution in the new setting. He thanked all countries, including Azerbaijan, which supported his country in voting process.
Japan, Mexico and Uganda were also elected as new non-permanent members apart from Turkey and Austria.
Election of non-permanent members of the Security Council is held by secret ballot in the General Assembly, and a winning candidate requires a two-thirds majority of ballots of members present and voting. Formal balloting takes place even in those regions where there is only one candidate per available seat.
The council`s five other non-permanent members, who were elected last year and whose terms end on Dec. 31, 2009, are Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, Libya and Vietnam. The five permanent members are China, France, Russia, Britain and the United States.