UN elects Panama as new Security Council member

The United Nations General Assembly Tuesday elected Panama as the new temporary member of the Security Council for the next two years starting January 1st, 2007.

Panama won 164 votes, for the two thirds needed to obtain the seat in representation of the Latin American and Caribbean Group (Grulac) at the UN. Venezuela obtained 11 votes, Guatemala four and Barbados one.

Panama, represented by ambassador Ricardo Alberto Arias, is to occupy the position Argentina is leaving vacant next December 31st, AP reported.

Venezuela and Guatemala were the candidates to occupy the seat initially. But following more than weeks of voting, on November 1st they agreed to step aside and nominate Panama for the position.

Even though the Caribbean countries showed discomfort at the decision at first -claiming they were not advised of the move, the Grulac on November 3rd okayed Panama.

This majority vote breaks a stalemate between Guatemala and Venezuela, neither of which could win the position following 47 rounds of voting that started on October 16th.

Guatemala defeated Venezuela in 46 of the 47 rounds, but could not obtain the two thirds of the votes. Venezuela only managed to get a tie at the sixth round of voting.

As of 2007, Latin America and the Caribbean will be represented at the Security Council by Panama and Peru. Lima is leaving the seat on December 31st, 2007. So far, the Dominican Republic has been the only candidate to replace Peru.

The Venezuela, Guatemala impasse was seen as a political pulse between the governments of Venezuela and the United States.