Lebanese Ambassador Attends Security Council Sessions as Observer
Lebanon began attending U.N. Security Council sessions as an observer pending the end of Libya”s term as a non-permanent member beginning next year.
An Nahar daily said Wednesday that Lebanon”s ambassador Nawaf Salam was seen attending all open and closed-door Security Council meetings.
Lebanon was elected a non-permanent member in September for the years 2010-2011. It will replace Libya as the only Arab country in the Council.
An Nahar said, however, that countries elected by the General Assembly as non-permanent members have the right to attend Security Council sessions as observers six weeks prior to the official start of their term.
The Council currently has five permanent members with veto power — the United States, Britain, Russia, China and France — and 10 non-permanent members who serve two-year terms and have no power to veto resolutions.
The 10 elected members enjoy all other aspects of council membership, including the right to propose resolutions, chair committees and hold the rotating council presidency for one-month periods.
Five countries are elected every year by the General Assembly to replace five retiring ones.