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Australia Wins Seat On United Nations Security Council

Australia has won a two-year term on the United Nations Security Council, winning 140 votes out of 193 to comfortably defeat Luxembourg and Finland.

Bob Carr

In the ballot for a seat representing the Western European and Others region, 193 nations voted. There were no invalid votes and no abstentions. A two-thirds majority of 129 votes was required for election. Australia polled 140 votes, Luxembourg 128, and Finland 108.

Australia’s Foreign Minister, Senator Bob Carr, was in the General Assembly for the election and is shown here shaking hands with Australia’s Ambassador to the UN, Gary Quinlan, immediately after the announcement of the vote.

Speaking to the media later, Carr described the victory as a “big, juicy win”. He acknowledged “the vindication for Kevin Rudd” in the outcome and paid tribute to Mr. Quinlan’s work.

Bob Carr

Argentina and Rwanda were also elected to Security Council positions from their regions. The two-year terms will commence on January 1, 2013.

After the ballot was announced at 3am Australian time, the General Assembly proceeded to an election to fill two more positions. Korea defeated Cambodia 149-43 for an Asian seat, whilst Luxembourg defeated Finland 131-62 for the remaining Western European and Others seat.

The five newly-elected members will replace Colombia, Germany, India, Portugal and South Africa, whose terms end on December 31, 2012.

The five permanent Council members, which each wield the power of veto, are China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Non-permanent members Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Morocco, Pakistan and Togo will remain on the Council until the end of 2013.

  • Listen to the announcement of voting results in the UN General Assembly (5m)
  • Listen to Bob Carr, Parliamentary Secretary Richard Marles and Ambassador Gary Quinlan’s media conference (8m)
  • Watch ABC Breakfast report on the Security Council vote (6m)

Bob Carr

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