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Jordan Elected to UN Security Council


Jordan was elected Friday as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The election took place in the U.N. General Assembly.

Jordan takes the spot rejected by Saudi Arabia, which turned down a two-year term in October - citing what it called the double standards of the council and its failure to deal with the Syrian crisis and the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

At the time, the Saudi foreign ministry condemned the council for failing to pass resolutions to punish Syrian President Bashar al-Assad for his role in the country's ongoing civil war.

Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh told reporters after the vote that the election "recognizes the role of Jordanian diplomacy worldwide" and said Jordan was honored to take the seat.

Rotating seats on the council are awarded by regional blocs, and in November, Jordan submitted its formal candidacy to replace Saudi Arabia in the Asia-Pacific Group.

Jordan has held two-year terms on the council twice before, in 1965 and 1982. It will join Chad, Chile, Lithuania and Nigeria on the council starting January 1.
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