Jordan to replace Saudis on UN council

The seat which was earlier offered to Saudi Arabia, was rejected by the Arab country

Jordan will replace Saudi Arabia on the Security Council for a two-year term starting in January after the Saudis' unprecedented rejection of the seat hours after they were elected, a UN diplomat has said.

The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity because the deal was made privately, said Jordan's UN Ambassador Prince Zeid al Hussein was flying to Amman yesterday night to discuss Jordan's new role on the UN's most powerful body.

Earlier this week, Jordan dropped its bid for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council, leaving Saudi Arabia a clear path in the now uncontested election next Tuesday.

The UN General Assembly, which voted on Oct. 17 to give Saudi Arabia the seat traditionally reserved for an Arab nation on the council, will have to formally approve Jordan as a replacement. Since Jordan is almost certain to be the only candidate, its election is virtually assured.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry stunned the diplomatic world with the announcement that it was rejecting the seat, less than 24 hours after it was elected.

The Saudis issued a scathing attack on the Security Council's failures to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the war in Syria, and to convene a conference on creating a zone in the Middle East free of weapons of mass destruction.

The rejection appeared largely directed at the country's longtime ally, the United States.

The oil giant and the world's superpower are at odds over a number of Mideast issues, including how Washington has handled some of the region's crises, particularly in Egypt and Syria. It also comes as ties between the US and Iran, the Saudis' regional foe, appear to be improving somewhat.

Jordan, which shares a border with Israel, has been a key behind-the-scenes player in efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

US Secretary of State was in Amman yesterday trying to rally support for his peace efforts from King Abdullah II and warning of a return to violence if peace efforts fail.

Jordan also shares a border with Syria and has become a major destination for refugees fleeing the 2 1/2-year civil war.

In April, Prince Zeid sent a letter to the Security Council saying the refugee crisis had sparked "a grave humanitarian situation" that threatens the country's security and stability.

Kuwait was next in line for an Arab seat on the council and many diplomats expected it to take the Saudi seat if the Saudis didn't reverse their decision.

But Khalid al-Jarallah, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry's undersecretary, told the Kuwait News Agency earlier yesterday that a report that Kuwait would take the seat was not true.