Number 55 | October 20, 2008
Turkey was seated as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council by the UN General Assembly vote on October 17. In the first and only round of voting, 151 countries of the 192 participating members voted in favor of Turkey to take one of the two seats on the Security Council allocated to Western Europe and Other States. In the same vote, Austria took the second seat, while the third candidate, Iceland, lost. Japan, Mexico and Uganda were elected to take the remaining non-permanent seats. The new members’ terms will start on January 1, 2009 and last through 2010.
In a statement by the Turkish Embassy in Washington, the overwhelming vote was seen as testament that the “international community recognizes Turkey’s strong and dedicated contributions across the wide spectrum of U.N. humanitarian and peacekeeping activities and its role as a critical catalyst of cooperation among its regional neighbors and beyond and as a nation that is committed to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations.”
The total of 10 non-permanent members can vote on Security Council actions, such as military intervention and economic sanctions, but, unlike permanent members China, France, Russia, United Kingdom and United States, do not enjoy veto power over decisions.
Many experts believe that the active foreign policy pursued by Turkey in recent years to resolve regional disputes, such as mediating talks between Israel and Syria, the Russian-Georgian conflict and its engagement with Iran on its nuclear program, as well as its central role in energy security has enhanced Turkey’s international standing. Turkey’s UN Security Council membership will further boost Turkey’s ability to leverage its political, economic and diplomatic power for positive engagements in its region and beyond.