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South Sudan in fast lane to UN membership

08 July 2011 23:41 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. The new government of the world’s newest country -- the Republic of South Sudan -- is preparing to obtain membership in the United Nations as soon as possible, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

After gaining its independence from Sudan Saturday, officials in the capital of Juba were to hand UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon -- who was attending ceremonies there -- a formal request to join the world organization, formally declaring that it accepts the obligations of the UN Charter.

Ban will officially accept it, providing it in order, and relay it to the UN Security Council.

Germany’s UN Ambassador Peter Wittig, this month’s president of the panel of 15-member Council, said earlier in the week that Sudan was scheduled to be debated by the council on Wednesday and that was to include South Sudan’s request.

Within a day or two after consideration and at least nine members approve it, without any objection from the five permanent members of Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States, it will be sent to the 192-member UN General Assembly.

A spokesman for General Assembly President Joseph Deiss said the larger body could not schedule a session to vote on the application until the Security Council sent its recommendation to the General Assembly.

But once such a session is called to order, all UN members will have a chance to vote on whether South Sudan should join them.

"As soon as the Security Council has given its recommendation, the General Assembly will be ready to admit South Sudan as a new member of the United Nations," Deiss said following a meeting in Juba on Friday with South Sudan’s new President Salva Kiir.

"Once the Security Council has met, the General Assembly will formalize the membership of South Sudan in line with the relevant rules of procedure."

Also in Juba on Friday, the secretary-general told Kiir in a joint press stakeout that he is "confident that this new country will soon become the newest member of the United Nations -- our 193rd member state."