Syria takes a seat on the United Nations Security Council as of today, January 1, 2002. Syria won a nonpermanent, two-year seat on the United Nations Security Council according to CNN reports. It received 160 votes, a number way above the required 2/3 margin of the United Nation’s General Assembly. The vote, which took place in October 2001 was by secret ballot.
United States State Department spokesman Richard Boucher refused to say in October how the U.S. had voted, but added that his country would “continue to express...concerns regarding terrorism with the Syrian government”. He cited that "The United States will also continue to expect Syria to meet its obligation to respect human rights and fundamental freedoms to fulfill all Security Council resolutions and to contribute to international peace and security, responsibilities that are only increased by its membership on the Security Council". (www.albawaba.com)
