African leaders unanimous on UN seats

SYRTE, Libya – African Union heads of state and government have unanimously adopted a declaration and a resolution they will present to the United Nations with the aim of obtaining two permanent UN Security Council seats with veto rights, summit sources said yesterday.

“The text of the declaration and the resolution that will be submitted to the UN were adopted by the presidents on Monday night. They debated the question at length but they are in agreement on the main point: that Africa should obtain two permanent seats with veto rights on the (UN) Security Council,” an AU official who wished to remain anonymous.”The texts have been adopted.We intend to ask unanimously for the two UN Security Council seats,” Rwandan Foreign Minister Charles Murigande told AFP on the second day of the fifth ordinary summit of the 53-member pan-African organisation, taking place in a Libyan coast town.The final text of the declaration and the resolution has not yet been made public, but according to a draft resolution obtained by AFP, the African states intended to call for the allocation of “two permanent seats with full privileges including veto rights …and five non-permanent seats on the Security Council”.Eight countries have officially declared themselves candidates for the two Security Council seats that Africa may or may not get in the framework of a broader reform of the UN.The Syrte resolution is expected to steer clear of the thorny issue of who fills the two potential African seats for fear of igniting regional rivalries.- Nampa-AFPThey debated the question at length but they are in agreement on the main point: that Africa should obtain two permanent seats with veto rights on the (UN) Security Council,” an AU official who wished to remain anonymous.”The texts have been adopted.We intend to ask unanimously for the two UN Security Council seats,” Rwandan Foreign Minister Charles Murigande told AFP on the second day of the fifth ordinary summit of the 53-member pan-African organisation, taking place in a Libyan coast town.The final text of the declaration and the resolution has not yet been made public, but according to a draft resolution obtained by AFP, the African states intended to call for the allocation of “two permanent seats with full privileges including veto rights …and five non-permanent seats on the Security Council”.Eight countries have officially declared themselves candidates for the two Security Council seats that Africa may or may not get in the framework of a broader reform of the UN.The Syrte resolution is expected to steer clear of the thorny issue of who fills the two potential African seats for fear of igniting regional rivalries.- Nampa-AFP