MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Guatemala “optimistic” about UN Security Council vote

Guatemala is optimistic about becoming a United Nations Security Council non permanent member when one of the seats in representation of Latinamerica is to be voted this Monday.

"We feel serenely optimistic, I think most countries have perfectly understood what our candidacy means and are capable of assessing the merits of our country for the seat", said Guatemala's vice president Eduardo Stein.

Guatemala and Venezuela have been deeply involved for months in the dispute to obtain the necessary 128 UN votes (two thirds of the General Assembly) to ensure the seat in the Security Council which Argentina vacates next December.

"At some moment Venezuelan officials wanted to show us as puppets of United States, which is not funny; they wanted to have us considered unviable as a country, as if Guatemala didn't exist. Nobody must confound our trade links with the United States with a policy of servitude as Caracas claims", underlined Mr. Stein.

He added that Guatemala has sufficient merits and achievements to be in the Security Council, "we have the experience of having ended a 36 year internal armed conflict which concluded in 1996 with the signature of the peace accords".

"We feel United Nations must be strengthened, we need a Security Council that effectively helps to maintain peace, and we are committed to consensus building with all representations. We are not interested in promoting new frictions or misunderstandings; we look forward to working with all members".

The vote is scheduled for Monday in the United Nations building of New York, but according to vice president Stein several rounds could take place before the final decision is reached.

"Several countries with abstain in the first round of voting to see the whole picture and only then they will decide", said Stein.

Germany, Mexico, Colombia and Central America have anticipated their public support for Guatemala, while Chile, Ecuador and Peru have not decided yet.

Meantime form Caracas President Hugo Chavez claimed that "United States has activated a dirty tricks campaign" to prevent Venezuela from obtaining the non permanent seat in the UN Security Council.

"At this very moment the US has activated a full dirty tricks campaign against Venezuela. Our ambassador Arias Cardenas has told me it has become a vote by vote, hand to hand combat", said Chavez during a political rally.

"US delegates are on the watch out in the UN corridors and if Arias speaks to a representative, five US officials will then board him", revealed Chavez.

Venezuela alleges to have the support of Mercosur, the Caribbean Community; Arab League; African Union, Russia and China.