Security Council Recommends Yugoslavia for UN MembershipThe UN Security Council Tuesday adopted a resolution that it recommends the General Assembly to admit the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia as a member of the United Nations.The resolution was adopted without a vote after the council's admission committee met Tuesday behind closed doors to take up the Yugoslav request, sent by President Vojislav Kostunica to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan last Friday. After the adoption of the resolution, the president of the Security Council, Martin Andjaba of Namibia, issued a statement to extend his congratulations to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia " on this historic occasion." "The Security Council has decided to recommend to the General Assembly that the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia be admitted as a member of the United Nations," the statement said. "On behalf of the members of the Security Council, I wish to extend my congratulations to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on this historic occasion," the statement said. "The council notes with great satisfaction the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia's solemn commitment to uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations and to fulfill all the obligations contained therein," the statement said. "We look forward to the day in the near future when the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia will join us as a member of the United Nations and to working closely with its representatives," the statement added. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, comprising Serbia and Montenegro, was never admitted to the United Nations since 1992, when Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Macedonia declared independence. The General Assembly at that time approved a resolution saying that Belgrade could not "continue automatically the membership of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the United Nations." The resolution said that the government should apply for membership as the other former Yugoslav republics did. A spokesperson for the president of the General Assembly told Xinhua that the General Assembly is likely to vote on the Security Council recommendation Wednesday or very soon. |
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