Lithuania in the News
19th October 2013
Lithuania is Elected to the UN Security Council – A Triumph for Lithuanian Diplomacy
The Lithuanian team at the United Nations with Foreign Minister Linkevičius in the middle.
Photo courtesy urm.lt
Last Thursday, October 17 2013, Lithuania was elected to UN Security Council as one of its 10 non-permanent members for a 2 year term 2014 – 2015. It was voted in by the UN General Assembly by a near unanimous vote of 187 out 193, including the unanimous support of Eastern European block.
As well, on January 1, 2014, the very first day that Lithuania takes up its seat on the UN Security Council, it will also have to take up the Presidency of the Security Council for a month. The Security Council Presidency rotates monthly in alphabetical order and it will so happen that it will be Lithuania’s turn to preside over the Security Council in January 2014, after France’s turn in December 2013. Australia presided over the Security Council in September 2013. Australia’s term on the Security Council is for 2013 – 2014, so Lithuania and Australia will share for a year membership of the world’s supreme decision making body.
So after Lithuania concludes its challenging job of Presidency of the European Union (EU) Council on December 31, 2013, the very next day it will take up the even more challenging task of Presidency of the UN Security Council. Lithuanian first signalled its intention of getting a seat on the Security Council in 1996, again made an attempt for membership for the 2004 – 2005 period, but abandoned its effort at that time in favour of concentrating all its efforts towards membership of the EU. Over the last few years Lithuania renewed its diplomatic effort and Lithuanian diplomacy has triumphed – Lithuania’s election to the UN Security Council demonstrates that it is a highly regarded member of the international community.

Further information:
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=46277&Cr=security+council&Cr1=
www.lrytas.lt 17/10/13