UN elects new security council members

 Friday Oct 19, 2012 
Source: Presstv

Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, the Republic of Korea and Rwanda will serve as non-permanent Security Council members for two-year terms starting on New Year's Day.

They'll replace Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa.

South Korea had to face Cambodia in the second round of voting for the Asia-Pacific seat -- soundly winning the two-year term with 149 votes.

South Korean UN ambassador Kim Sook acknowledged South Korea's election under a South Korean Secretary-General -- Ban Ki-moon -- but maintained that one had nothing to do with the other.

Argentina -- Bhutan -- Cambodia -- and Finland were among the candidate nations whose bid for a seat on the Council that fell short. 

Australia is widely acknowledged to have lobbied heavily for the seat it won.

The foreign ministers of the candidate countries were on hand in case of victory.

Despite a widely-acknowledged need for reform -- Louise Mushikiwabo of Rwanda says she's keeping realistic expectations.

Rwanda will join the Council despite UN reports that Rwandan Defense Minister is leading an uprising in neighboring Congo. 

The UN Security Council is comprised of fifteen member states -- five of which are permanent -- while the other ten rotate through two-year terms.

Non-permanent members Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo will remain on the Council until the end of 2013.