Guatemala stands firm on striving for UN seat

Guatemala intends to continue fighting for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council, and has rejected the Venezuelan proposal of naming Bolivia instead as a way out of the impasse.

"We have not pulled out and we have no intention of doing so," Guatemalan Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal told reporters on Tuesday.

Rosenthal's remarks came after Bolivian President Evo Morales had said earlier that his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez had agreed to support Bolivia in the race for the UN Security Council seat.

Chavez said he would propose Bolivia as a candidate if Venezuela failed to get the two-thirds majority needed to win the race over U.S.-backed Guatemala, according to the Bolivian president.

In Caracas, however, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said his country would continue its efforts to win the rotating seat on the UN Security Council.

"There are... initiatives to seek consensus and we have said that Venezuela will not withdraw its candidacy," Maduro said, adding that "We can only discuss this other option if Guatemala withdraws."

Maduro also called on the United States to "end its disgusting pressure and blackmail on the governments of the region, and... for a transparent process to seek an option that represents the region."

Guatemala and Venezuela are both campaigning for the two-year rotating seat on the UN Security Council.

Venezuela, lagging slightly behind Guatemala in almost all the votes, tied the race last week after 35 rounds.

Both countries have fallen short of a majority needed to win, and the 36th round of voting is slated for Wednesday.

Source: Xinhua