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Mahmoud Ahmadinejad addressing the United Nations. (Archives/AP)
Last update - 09:54 13/04/2008
Despite sanctions, Iran seeking to join UN Security Council
By Shlomo Shamir, Haaretz Correspondent
Tags: nuclear, Iran, UN, Israel

Three pending Security Council resolutions against Iran, some calling for sanctions, have not stopped the country from seeking a non-permanent seat at the council, causing some UN members to worry about the council's reputation.

Iran is seeking to join the Security Council (SC) for two years in 2010-2012 as a representative of Asia, replacing Indonesia.

Diplomats and commentators say that the Security Council's status is deteriorating and its prestige is crumbling.
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"The Security Council is paralyzed," Italy's UN ambassador Marcello Spatafora said. "It is becoming irrelevant."

Spatafora expressed the growing frustration with the council's function among veteran diplomats and commentators at UN headquarters, many of whom still have difficulty accepting Libya as a council member.

Israel's UN ambassador Dan Gillerman wrote in an article in the Daily News that Libya does not fill the criteria required of a new tenant wishing to buy an apartment in a respectable Manhattan building. "Yet it was accepted as a member of the Security Council," he wrote.

Japan, which also is contending for the Asia seat, is likely to beat Iran and receive the position. Japan is not only a central and respected UN member, but also contributes the largest sum, after the United States, to the UN budget.

The fact that Iran, a member state described as an "objectionist," thinks it deserves representation in a leading UN body that has imposed sanctions on it is such shameless impudence on its part, as well as an indication of the decline in the council's status, a Western ambassador told Haaretz.

The current non-permanent membership worries the member states, who fear that the only UN body with the authority to impose sanctions and use its strength is losing its influence.

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      1.   You mean that it may no longer be the willing tool & accomplice 03:38  |  lakshmi 13/04/08
      2.   what reputation? 05:32  |  MR 13/04/08
      3.   Libya is the head of the council 05:54  |  Jon 13/04/08
      4.   You don`t hear laughter... 07:30  |  Webster 13/04/08
      5.   Iran has obstacles to overcome in the UN and the region 07:36  |  Natallie Durson 13/04/08
      6.   IRAN=STATE SPONSOR OF TERROR 08:19  |  US CITIZEN 13/04/08
      7.   Iran is thumbing its nose at the world 08:46  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 13/04/08
      8.   #5 08:49  |  Gili 13/04/08
      9.   The UN is not working the way it should.Majority PRO TERRORIST... 09:24  |  Stereo Pairs 13/04/08
      10.   Iranian Arabs 09:42  |  Joseph 13/04/08
      11.   Iran seeks to Join the Security council 09:47  |  Millicent 13/04/08
      12.   We are running out of time. 10:19  |  Jean Van Daem 13/04/08
      13.   Nobel Prize 10:22  |  Sherlock Holmes 13/04/08
      14.   IRAN COULD WELL BE ACCEPTED.....despite sanctons 12:09  |  Dolly 13/04/08
      15.   #8 Gili of Montreal 12:18  |  Stephen of New York 13/04/08
      16.   Jean van Daem 12:22  |  Chris Linthwaite 13/04/08
      17.   WHO`S RUNNING THE WORLD TODAY? 12:29  |  Onlooker 13/04/08
      18.   IRAN IS THE BEST CANDIDATE 13:44  |  indrajaya 13/04/08
      19.   Who knows! Iran joining the Security Council might signal the 14:14  |  lakshmi 13/04/08
      20.   Iran 14:17  |  Marc 13/04/08
      21.   # 18 Indy...Japan will get the seat 14:23  |  Lynn 13/04/08
      22.   # 21, LYNN 14:42  |  indrajaya 13/04/08
      23.   21Lynn,Japan sponsoring Asia!Putting the fox in charge of the hen 15:41  |  lakshmi 13/04/08
      24.   # 22 Indy...Japan would be a better choice 15:43  |  Lynn 13/04/08
      25.   Dictators use democracy to come to power. 15:56  |  Addul 13/04/08
      26.   Imagine, how Israel is dragging the reputation of the UN 16:39  |  Dutch 13/04/08
      27.   #24 doris and the un and the remarkable body that only picks on 17:10  |  v hardman 13/04/08
      28.   Iran seeking to join UN security council. 17:17  |  David Nigel Braham 13/04/08
      29.   Irrelevent UNSC 18:58  |  Druid 13/04/08
      30.   Let`s do the same - we are also in Asia! 19:13  |  Ze`ev ben Shmaryahu 13/04/08
      31.   If so, the US should cut all its UN`s funding. 19:26  |  Fortuna Benmayor 13/04/08
      32.   #7 Cipora J.K..While I agree with you.. 19:46  |  KATHY 13/04/08
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      34.   #21 Lynn...Bingo! A very Good Idea...If Only Though. 20:32  |  KATHY 13/04/08
      35.   #22 Indrajaya..I am responding to you(a rarity)But 20:41  |  KATHY 13/04/08
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