Lebanon "to become non-permanent UN Security Council member"
Beirut - The UN General Assembly will elect Lebanon as a non-permanent member of the Security Council next September, a local Lebanese newspaper reported Monday.
Quoting "political sources in Lebanon," the daily An Nahar said Lebanon will serve a two-year term starting January 1, 2010.
The council 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. (dpa)