Iceland And Iran Lose UN Security Council Election

UNITED NATIONS: Japan handily defeated Iran for a nonpermanent seat on the Security Council and Austria and Turkey edged out Iceland in secret ballot voting Friday.

Iran, which is under U.N. sanctions, received only 32 votes, while Iceland, which had been considered by many to be a strong candidate until the recent economic crisis, received only 87 votes.

The Security Council is the powerhouse of the United Nations with the ability to impose sanctions and dispatch peacekeepers.

The other two seats went to Mexico, which will represent Latin America, and Uganda, which will represent Africa; both ran unopposed.

In the secret ballot, candidates were required get a two-thirds majority of members voting.

General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann said after the balloting that Austria received 133 votes, Turkey 151 votes, Japan 158 votes, Uganda 181 votes and Mexico 185.



NEWS BY GEO TV