General Assembly Session 58 meeting 42

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 2003.

The five outgoing non-permanent members are the following: Bulgaria, Cameroon, Guinea, Mexico and the Syrian Arab Republic. Those five States cannot be re-elected. Their names, therefore, should not appear on the ballot papers.

Apart from the five permanent members, the Security Council will include in the year 2004 the following States: Angola, Chile, Germany, Pakistan and Spain. The names of those States, therefore, should also not appear on the ballot papers.

Of the five non-permanent members that will remain in office in the year 2004, two are from Africa and Asia, one is from Latin America and the Caribbean and two are from Western Europe 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 that 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 also like to inform the Assembly that those candidates, their number not exceeding the number of seats to be filled, that receive 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 who 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 of the following.

For the three vacant seats from among the African and Asian States, there are three endorsed candidates, namely, Algeria, Benin and the Philippines. For the vacant seat from among the Eastern European States, there is one endorsed candidate, namely, Romania. For the vacant seat from among the Latin American and Caribbean States, there is one endorsed candidate, namely, Brazil.

In accordance with rule 92 of the rules of procedure, we shall now proceed to the election by secret ballot.

Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind members that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order on the actual conduct of the voting.

I should like to seek the usual cooperation of representatives during the time of the conduct of the elections. Please be reminded that during the voting process all campaigning should cease in the General Assembly Hall. That means, in particular, that once the meeting has begun, no more campaign material can be distributed inside the Hall. I intend to follow that to the letter. All representatives are also required to remain in their seats so that the voting process can proceed in an orderly manner. I would also seek the Assembly's cooperation and support regarding cellular phones. Please put them on "vibrate" if you feel you must have them on. It is very disconcerting, when we are in the middle of serious business, to hear those phones sound off. I thank you for your cooperation.

We shall now begin the voting process.

Ballot papers marked "A", "B" and "C" will now be distributed. I request representatives to use only those ballot papers that have been distributed.

May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers marked "A", for the African and Asian States, the names of the three States for which they wish to vote; on the ballot papers marked "B", for the Eastern European States, the name of the one State for which they wish to vote; and on the ballot papers marked "C", for the Latin American and Caribbean States, the name of the one State 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 that do not belong to that region will not be counted.

The President

I now suspend the meeting for thirty minutes.

The President

Before announcing the result of the voting, I would like to clarify that, in accordance with Article 19 of the Charter and resolution 58/1, of 16 October 2003, two Member States were not given ballot papers.

The result of the voting is as follows:

Group A -- African and Asian States Number of ballot papers: 182 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 182 Abstentions: 0 Number of members voting: 182 Required two-thirds majority: 122 Number of votes obtained: Benin 181 Philippines 179 Algeria 178 Republic of Korea 1

Group B -- Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 182 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 182 Abstentions: 7 Number of members voting: 175 Required two-thirds majority: 117 Number of votes obtained: Romania 174 Poland 1

Group C -- Latin American and Caribbean States Number of ballot papers: 182 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 182 Abstentions 4 Number of members voting: 178 Required two-thirds majority: 119

Number of votes obtained: Brazil 177 Argentina 1

The President

I congratulate the States that have been elected members of the Security Council, and I sincerely thank the tellers for their assistance in the election.

We have thus concluded our consideration of sub-item (a) of agenda item 15.