Switzerland's lower house of parliament on Wednesday voted overwhelmingly in favor of the country becoming a member of the United Nations.
The Swiss government has made joining the UN a key foreign policy initiative and the country's upper house also endorsed the move during a vote last June.
The lower house of parliament approved a motion to join the United Nations by a vote of 153 to 42. A referendum on the motion will likely be called for March 2002.
The only major party to oppose the plan during Wednesday's debate was a populist rightwing movement, the UDC, led by millionaire industrial tycoon Christoph Blocher who said it threatened Switzerland's neutrality.
Switzerland, along with the Vatican, are among the last few states to remain outside the UN -- BERN (AFP)
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