Manila hopeful of getting seat in UN Security Council

With the Philippines being the only nominee from Asia, the Arroyo administration is confident that the country will be elected as a non-permanent member in the powerful United Nations Security Council.

"I am optimistic we will get it," said Lauro Baja, the country’s permanent representative to the UN. He left Sunday for New York to spearhead Manila’s diplomatic campaign for a council seat.

Voting for non-permanent members will begin in October or November. A nominee must get the vote of at least two-thirds of the UN membership.

Sources said Malacañang hopes to enlist the support of Washington. Manila has been Washington’s staunchest Asian ally in the war on terrorism and the US-led war in Iraq.

US President George W. Bush is hosting a May 19 state dinner for President Arroyo to express his thanks.

The Philippines became a non-permanent member in 1976, during the tenure of then Foreign Affairs Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, to whom Baja served as special assistant.

Manila expects to get the vote of the Asia bloc, Baja said. "We are the only Asian nominee and we were endorsed by no less than the Asian group in the UN."

If elected, the Philippines’ two-year term will begin on Jan. 1, 2004 and end on Dec. 31, 2005.

The council has five permanent members: Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States.

There are 10 non-permanent members, elected to two-year terms by the UN General Assembly. Currently these are Angola, Bulgaria, Cameroon, Chile, Germany, Guinea, Mexico, Pakistan, Spain and Syria.

Each council member has one vote. Decisions on substantive matters require nine council votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members, all of which have veto power.

Several non-permanent members supported the war in Iraq. But France, Germany and Russia opposed the war, fraying transatlantic alliances, a situation not seen in recent years.