Five new nations are to be elected to two-year terms on the 15-member United Nations Security Council, beginning next January. From Israel’s point of view, the make-up of that body, which it regards as demonstrably pro-Arab, will not change.
According to informed sources Syria, Poland, Burundi, Nicaragua and Sierra Leone are the leading candidates to replace Algeria, Paraguay, Hungary, Senegal and Pakistan, the Washington Post reported today. The election of Syria, Poland and Nicaragua by the General Assembly this fall is regarded as virtually certain because each has been endorsed by the requisite geographical groups. Tanzania and Togo are contesting the election of Burundi and Sierra Leone which have been endorsed by the foreign ministers of the Organization of African Unity.
The departure of Algeria will remove from the Council its African member most committed to the Arab cause. But the substitution of Syria for Pakistan will replace a Moslem state that has been inclined to compromise, albeit pro-Arab, by one of Israel’s active Arab enemies. The replacement of Hungary by Poland will leave the anti-Israel East European representation intact but will bring into the Council a nation which has for the past year and a half waged an official “anti-Zionist” crusade at home.
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