Jordan has applied for a two-year term on the UN Security Council, the Jordanian information minister said on Monday, after Saudi Arabia won a seat and then turned it down.

“Jordan has officially applied for a nonpermanent seat on the UN Security Council. Jordan is interested in this seat and realizes its political and diplomatic responsibilities,” Mohammad Momonai told AFP. “The country hopes to receive international support for this application, which comes as a result of Jordan’s balanced and rational policies.”

Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, meanwhile, said in a statement to Arab News that Jordan’s decision to officially apply for the UNSC seat was taken after comprehensive discussions King Abdallah of Jordan has made with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah during his visit to the Kingdom last month.

Judeh said he has also contacted his counterparts in the Security Council; the permanent members of the council, the Arab group representatives in the UNSC as well as the secretary-general of the Arab League, noting that Jordan has had a nonpermanent seat in the council twice since 1955.

“Jordan has been an active player in the region as a moderate voice and exerts all efforts to ensure peace prevails in this part of the world,” Judeh said in the statement.

Earlier this month, diplomats said Amman had been reluctant to take up the Asia-Pacific seat on the 15-nation council but had been persuaded to do so by Riyadh.

Saudi Arabia won a UN General Assembly vote on Oct. 17 for a two-year term on the council, but it shocked other nations by announcing the following day that it would not take up the seat in protest at the council’s failure to act on the Syria conflict.

SOURCE: ARABNEWS