The Netherlands, Italy poised to share UN Security Council seat
The Netherlands and Italy have told the United Nations general assembly that they are prepared to share the one seat on the UN’s security council which is still up for grabs.
The council has five permanent and 10 temporary seats. Sweden was voted to one of the temporary seats on offer for western European countries this year but after five voting rounds, delegates were still split about whether Italy or the Netherlands should have the remaining one.
Both countries received 95 votes in the fifth round, but a country needs a two-thirds majority to win.
The Netherlands and Italy hope their compromise will break the deadlock. Italy would take the seat in 2017 and the Netherlands in 2018.
UN delegates will vote on the compromise deal on Wednesday.
The Netherlands has lobbied hard to win a seat on the security council. Last September king Willem-Alexander addressed the UN general assembly and highlighted the Dutch candidature.
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