| Date | 21 October 1996 |
|---|---|
| Started | 10:00 |
| Ended | 12:40 |
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Agenda item 15
Elections to fill vacancies in principal organs
(a) Election of five non-permanent members of the Security Council
The President
This morning the General Assembly will proceed to the election of five non-permanent members of the Security Council to replace those members whose term of office expires on 31 December 1996.
The five non-permanent outgoing members are the following: Botswana, Germany, Honduras, Indonesia and Italy. These five States cannot be re-elected and therefore their names should not appear on the ballot papers.
Apart from the five permanent members, the Security Council will include in 1997 the following States: Chile, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Poland and the Republic of Korea. The names of those States, therefore, should also not appear on the ballot papers.
Of the five non-permanent members which will remain in office in 1997 three are from Africa and Asia, one is from Eastern Europe and one is from Latin America and the Caribbean.
Consequently, pursuant to paragraph 3 of General Assembly resolution 1991 A (XVIII) of 17 December 1963, the five non-permanent members should be elected according to the following pattern: two from Africa and Asia, one from Latin America and the Caribbean and two from Western European and other States. The ballot papers reflect this pattern.
In accordance with established practice, there is an understanding to the effect that, of the two States to be elected from Africa and Asia, one should be from Africa and one from Asia.
I should like to inform the Assembly that the number of candidates, not exceeding the number of seats to be filled, receiving the greatest number of votes and a two-thirds majority of those present and voting will be declared elected.
In the case of a tie vote for a remaining seat, there will be a restricted ballot limited to those candidates which have obtained an equal number of votes.
May I take it that the General Assembly agrees to that procedure?
The President
In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, the election shall be held by secret ballots, and there shall be no nominations.
Regarding candidatures, I have been informed that for the two vacancies from among the African and Asian States, there are three candidates, namely India, Japan and Kenya. Kenya has been endorsed by the group of African States.
As for the Latin American and Caribbean States, there are two candidates for one vacancy. The two candidates are Bolivia and Costa Rica.
From among the Western European and other States, there are three candidates for two vacancies: Australia, Portugal and Sweden.
In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, we shall proceed now to the election by secret ballot.
Ballot papers marked "A", "B" and "C" will now be distributed.
I request representatives to use only those ballot papers that have been distributed and to write on them the names of the five States for which they wish to vote.
A ballot paper containing more names from the relevant region than the number of seats assigned to it will be declared invalid. Names on a ballot paper of Member States which do not belong to that region will not be counted.
The President
The result of the voting for the election of the five non-permanent members of the Security Council is as follows:
Group A -- African and Asian States
Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 180
Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 180 Required two-thirds majority: 120 Number of votes obtained: Kenya 172 Japan 142 India 40
Group B -- Latin American and Caribbean States
Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 1 Numbers of Members voting: 180 Required two-thirds majority: 120 Number of votes obtained: Costa Rica 105 Bolivia 73 Columbia 1 Dominican Republic 1
Group C -- Western European and other States
Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of Members voting: 181 Required two-thirds majority: 121 Number of votes obtained: Sweden 153 Portugal 112 Australia 91
The President
I congratulate the States which have been elected members of the Security Council.
The representative of Bolivia has asked to speak on a point of order, and I call on him now.
Mr. Camacho Omiste (Bolivia)
The delegation of Bolivia signed a fair and fraternal agreement with the delegation of Costa Rica to the effect that support would be given to the delegation obtaining the larger number of votes in the first round. The first round having been completed with a result favourable to Costa Rica, I am pleased and honoured to say that my delegation withdraws its candidature in this second round and supports the candidature of Costa Rica for a non-permanent seat on the Security Council. The delegation of Bolivia wishes to express thanks for the support it received from the delegations that voted for us. We shall be faithful to the commitments we have assumed with delegations on this occasion.
The President
I thank the representative of Bolivia for his cooperation. In accordance with the rules of procedure, we shall proceed now to a restricted ballot, taking into account the statement made by the representative of Bolivia.
There remain two seats to be filled: one from among the Latin American and Caribbean States and one from among the Western European and Other States. We shall therefore proceed to the first restricted ballot. This second round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Latin American and Caribbean States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot -- Bolivia and Costa Rica, bearing in mind the statement we just heard from the representative of Bolivia -- and to the two States from among the Western European and other States that were not elected but obtained the largest number of votes on the previous ballot -- Australia and Portugal. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure.
Ballot papers marked "B" and "C" will now be distributed.
May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers marked "B", for the Latin American and Caribbean States, the name of the one State for which they want to vote, and to write on the ballot papers marked "C", for the Western European and other States, the name of the one State for which they want to vote. Ballot papers marked "B" will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Bolivia or Costa Rica, and if they contain the name of more than one State. Ballot papers marked "C" will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Australia or Portugal, and if they contain the name of more than one State.
The President
The result of the voting for the election of two non-permanent members of the Security Council is as follows:
Group B -- Latin American and Caribbean States
Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 9 Number of Members voting: 172 Required two-thirds majority: 115 Number of votes obtained: Costa Rica 167 Bolivia 5
Group C -- Western European and other States
Number of ballot papers: 181 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 181 Abstentions: 0 Number of Members voting: 181 Required two-thirds majority: 121 Number of votes obtained: Portugal 124 Australia 57
The President
I congratulate the States which have been elected non-permanent members of the Security Council, and I thank the tellers for their assistance in this election.
This concludes our consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 15.
Programme of Work
The President
I should like to inform members that on Thursday, 24 October in the afternoon the Assembly will consider agenda item 160, entitled "Observer status for the International Seabed Authority in the General Assembly", and agenda item 36, entitled "International assistance for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Nicaragua: aftermath of the war and natural disasters", as the third and fourth items.
On Friday, 25 October, in the morning, the Assembly will first take up agenda item 49, entitled "Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas)", followed by agenda item 29, entitled "Cooperation between the United Nations and the Inter-Parliamentary Union".
I should also like to inform members that on Tuesday, 12 November, in the morning, the Assembly will consider agenda item 27, entitled "Necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba".
