The United Nations votes on Monday to fill five coveted two-year seats on the 15-nation UN Security Council, choosing from among six candidates. Council members are elected by secret ballot in the UN General Assembly, which has to approve contenders by a two-thirds majority of those present and voting.
Each of the world body's 191 member-nations has one vote in the assembly.
Five seats are to open up on January 1 with the departure of Algeria, Benin, Brazil, the Philippines and Romania.
Candidates are put forward by regional groupings, and this year just one of the five vacant seats is being contested.
Nicaragua and Peru are competing to succeed Brazil in a seat earmarked for Latin America, with both countries predicting victory.
In other regions, Ghana and the Congo Republic are unopposed for two African seats being vacated by Algeria and Benin; Slovakia is set to win the Eastern European slot opened up by Romania's departure; and Qatar is in line to win the Asian seat now held by the Philippines, diplomats said.
The Security Council, the world body's most powerful organ, is responsible for decisions on issues of war and peace, sanctions against nations and peacekeeping. Its decisions can be legally binding on all UN members.
The council has five permanent members - Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States - who enjoy veto power and 10 members who serve for two-year terms.
The terms are staggered so that five of the nonpermanent seats change hands every year.
Current members Argentina, Denmark, Greece, Japan and Tanzania will remain on the council for another year as they began their two-year terms in January 2005.
Many countries had hoped earlier this year to expand the council by as many as 10 more seats as the United Nations celebrates its 60th birthday. They argued the council's membership still reflects the balance of power that prevailed at the end of World War Two, when few developing nations were independent. Secretary-General Kofi Annan strongly supported the expansion initiative but it faltered due to regional and national wrangling over who would get the seats.
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