thenewsmexico.com

Mexico elected to UN Security Council

Stevenson Jacobs, The News Staff - 10/9/2001

MEXICO CITY - Mexico on Monday won a rotating seat on the UN Security Council, a move hailed by supporters as an opportunity for greater participation in world affairs but maligned by critics who fear a break from the nation's history of neutrality in world conflicts.

With 138 votes in favor, Mexico beat out the Dominican Republic for the 2002-2003 seat reserved for Latin American and Caribbean nations. The Dominican Republic received just 40 votes, well shy of the two-thirds needed from the 178 voting nations.

Mexico's addition to the 15-member body comes as the first major foreign relations victory for President Vicente Fox's 10-month old administration, criticized recently by media and opposition politicians for its support for U.S. military retaliation following the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

Foreign Relations Secretary Jorge Castaņeda said Mexico's addition to the council would allow it to "play a more active role" in a changing global arena, although he cautioned against those expecting "immediate and concrete benefits."

"Mexico is convinced the best way to guarantee its long-term interests is through an active participation in the global agenda," Castaņeda told reporters at a Mexico City news conference.

Castaņeda said the short-term mission of Mexico's tenure would be to help uphold the recently adopted UN charter to back the United States in the global fight against terrorism.

Critics have denounced Mexico's bid for the seat as a patent abandonment of the nation's neutral past and some worry the nation now could become a diplomatic pawn of the United States.

"It's very risky because Mexico now will be subject to all types of pressures previously unknown to them," said analyst Jose Antonio Crespo in a telephone interview, adding: "Mexico will never have the margin to vote against the United States on critical issues."

In response to reporters' questions, Castaņeda denied the new post signaled a break from tradition nor would it serve to rubber stamp U.S.-backed accords.

"We believe our relationship with the United States is mature enough that ... when we vote differently from them we will do so within the context of a normal and healthy relationship between two nations."

On Sunday, Fox voiced support for U.S. and British-led air strike against Afghanistan and pledged greater intelligence sharing and border security to aid the effort.

Castaņeda reiterated the government's stance, but stopped short of claiming this fight as its own. "Mexico is not at war with anyone," said Castaņeda.

With the addition to the council, Mexico will replace Jamaica and sit beside the five permanent Security Council members of China, the United States, Russia, France and Great Britain. The four other nations elected to non-permanent seats on Monday were Syria, Bulgaria, Guinea and Cameroon.

Mexico has served on the council on two previous occasions, once in 1946 and later from 1980-81. It will begin its term Jan. 1, 2002.

-- Anonymous, October 09, 2001