| Date | 14 October 1999 |
|---|
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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
The General Assembly will now 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 1999.
The five non-permanent outgoing members are the following: Bahrain, Brazil, Gabon, the Gambia and Slovenia. 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 the year 2000 the following States: Argentina, Canada, Malaysia, Namibia and the Netherlands. 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 the year 2000, two are from Africa and Asia, one is from Latin America and the Caribbean and two are from Western European and other States.
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: three from Africa and Asia, one from Eastern Europe and one from Latin America and the Caribbean. The ballot papers reflect this pattern.
In accordance with established practice, there is an understanding to the effect that, of the three States to be elected from Africa and Asia, two 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 ballot and there shall be no nominations.
Regarding candidatures, I have been informed by the Chairmen of the respective regional groups that, for the three vacant seats from among the African and Asian States, there are three endorsed candidates, namely, Bangladesh, Mali and Tunisia.
From among the Eastern European States, there are two candidates for one vacant seat. The candidates are Slovakia and Ukraine.
As for the Latin American and Caribbean States, Jamaica is the endorsed candidate for one vacant seat.
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 of Member States on a ballot paper which do not belong to that region will not be counted.
The President
The result of the voting is as follows:
Group A -- African and Asian States
Number of ballot papers: 172 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 172 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 172 Required two-thirds majority: 115 Number of votes obtained: Bangladesh 172 Tunisia 172
Mali 171
Group B -- Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers: 172 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 171 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of members voting: 171 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 92 Slovakia 79
Group C -- Latin American and Caribbean States
Number of ballot papers: 172 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 171 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of members voting: 171 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Jamaica 171
The President
There remains one seat to be filled, from among the Eastern European 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 Eastern European States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot, namely Slovakia and Ukraine. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure.
Ballot papers marked "B", for the Eastern European States, will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the one State for which they wish to vote.
Ballot papers marked "B" will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Slovakia or Ukraine, as well as if they contain the names of more than one State.
The President
The result of the voting is as follows:
Group B -- Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers: 171 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 170 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 170 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 98 Slovakia 72
The President
Since no candidate obtained the required two-thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We shall therefore proceed to a second restricted ballot.
This third round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot -- namely, Slovakia and Ukraine. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure.
Ballot papers marked "B", for the Eastern European States, will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the one State for which they wish to vote.
Ballot papers marked "B" will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Slovakia and Ukraine, as well as if they contain the name of more than one State.
The President
The result of the voting is as follows: Group B -- Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers: 170 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 170 Abstentions: 0 Numbers of members voting: 170 Required two-thirds majority: 114 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 113 Slovakia 57
The President
I call on the representative of Slovakia.
Mr. Tomka (Slovakia)
I should like to express my Government's deepest gratitude to all delegations that lent Slovakia their valuable support in its quest for membership of the Security Council for the first time ever -- to those delegations that have promoted the principles of rotation and equal opportunity. We are particularly grateful to them, and will remember their support in our future work here in the United Nations.
I now formally withdraw the candidature of Slovakia, and wish Ukraine well.
The President
We shall now begin the voting process, taking into consideration the statement just made by the representative of Slovakia.
Since no candidate obtained the required two-thirds majority, there still remains one seat to be filled, from among the Eastern European States. We shall therefore proceed to a third restricted ballot.
This fourth round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected but that obtained the largest number of votes in the previous ballot, namely Slovakia and Ukraine. This is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure.
Ballot papers marked "B", for the Eastern European States, will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the one State for which they wish to vote.
Ballot papers marked "B" will be declared invalid if they contain the name of a State other than Slovakia or Ukraine, as well as if they contain the names of more than one State.
The President
The result of the voting is as follows:
Group B -- Eastern European States
Number of ballot papers: 168 Number of invalid ballots: 1 Number of valid ballots: 167 Abstentions: 6 Number of members voting: 161 Required two-thirds majority: 108 Number of votes obtained: Ukraine 158 Slovakia 3
The President
I congratulate the States which have been elected 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.
