CANADA COMPETING FOR SEAT ON U.N. SECURITY COUNCIL

OTTAWA, July 23 (LSN)  In the fall of this year five members of the United Nations’ 15-member Security Council have to step down, and lobbying is already well under way by those countries that want to fill the seats. Two of the new members will come from the regional group representing Europe and North America,  and three nations, including Canada, are competing for the spots,  reported The Ottawa Citizen today. The other two countries are the Netherlands and Greece. There are 10 non-permanent seats on the council. Each year, five of them come up for election for a two-year term.  At first glance it might seem to be a positive move for Canada to win a seat on the Security Council, but considering the radical nature of Canada’s internationalist agenda, such a post may give our country more clout than is prudent at this time. What has caught people’s attention, however, is the nature of the lobbying for the position. According to The Citizen, “the campaign for the contested seats attracted attention after Greece invited UN delegates for a weeklong visit dubbed [by some as] a ‘blue water pitch.’” (Greece denied the trip was related to the bid for the seat.)  But the Netherlands also apparently organized a moonlit cruise down New York’s East River last month, with invitations to a New York performance of Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and Canada provided tickets to its biggest attraction in New York this summer, the Fellini-esque rock 'n' roll circus Cirque du Soleil. “Despite the fun and games,” says The Citizen, “the campaign for one of the two available seats is serious. Ambassadors, foreign ministers, and even heads of state get involved in lobbying.