New York, US - Morocco, Guatemala and Pakistan were Friday elected as non-permanent members of the 15-member UN Security Council for the 2012-13 term. PANA reported that the three new members won their seats at the first round of elections, held at the UN General Assembly in New York, US. The 193-UN member states vote by secret ballot for five non-permanent seats divided by geographical grouping – three from the Africa and Asia-Pacific grouping, one from Eastern Europe and one from Latin America and the Caribbean. To win election, a country must receive a two-thirds majority of those countries present and voting, regardless of whether or not they are the only candidate in their region. Voting continues until the two-thirds threshold is reached for the required number of seats.

Morocco received 151 votes and Pakistan got 129, to clinch the two of the three seats allocated this year to Africa and the Asia-Pacific, respectively.

However, Togo (119 votes), Mauritania (98), Kyrgyzstan (55) and Fiji (one) could not receive enough votes and during a second, restricted round of voting, Togo again received 119 votes, while Mauritania obtained 72.

A third round of voting will now be held for the third seat in that region.

Guatemala received 191 votes and was duly elected to the Latin America and Caribbean seat.

In the Eastern European category, Azerbaijan received 74 votes, Slovenia picked up 67 and Hungary received 52 in the first round.

In the second round of balloting, Slovenia received 97 votes, while Azerbaijan obtained 90.

A third round of voting will be conducted.

Friday's elections are being held to replace the departing members of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Gabon, Lebanon and Nigeria.

The new members will join Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa, whose terms end 31 December, 2012, and the five permanent council members, each wielding the veto power -- China, France, Russia, the UK and the US.

Pana 22/10/2011