New York  - Turkey announced plans Tuesday to run for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, which, if successful, would break a 50-year hiatus.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul said his country's candidature for a non-permanent seat for 2009 and 2010 will be presented to the UN General Assembly, which is scheduled to select five new council members in October.

"Turkey has not been represented in the council for nearly half a century," Gul said in an address to the annual assembly session.

"And we believe that the main tenets of our foreign policy, together with our economic, social and cultural attributes, will allow us to bring an added value to the work of the council."

The president added: "I hope the assembly, with its valuable support, will do us the honour of granting Turkey the opportunity to do so."

Greece has already said it is opposed to Turkey's presence on the council, which takes all important decisions related to peace and security around the world.

Membership in the council lends political clout and prestige to small nations, which share the forum with the powerful veto-wielding permanent members - the United States, Russia, China, Britain and China.

The assembly will select five countries to replace the five outgoing nations who will complete their two-year terms on December 31. They are Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Panama and South Africa.

Gul also used his address to call for support to Turkish Cypriots and for a settlement of the division of Cyprus. Turkish Cypriots supported a UN plan in 2004 to settle the division, but Greek Cypriots rejected the plan.

Leaders of the two communities have recently resumed negotiations to work out proposals for a federal government and resolve long- standing problems, from refugees to issues of property and land. (dpa)