Jordan bids for UN Security Council seat

United Nations: Jordan Tuesday formally announced its candidacy for a two-year UN Security Council seat that was previously rejected by Saudi Arabia, the UN said here.

Saudi Arabia refused to take up the seat Oct 18, a day after it was elected by the UN General Assembly, saying the 15-nation Security Council has "double standards" and failed to deal with the Syrian crisis and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Xinhua reported. "Jordan has formally announced its candidacy for a seat as non-permanent member of the Security Council," said Fanny Langella, deputy spokeswoman for the president of the UN General Assembly, John William Ashe. "If the candidacy is endorsed by the group, the chairman will inform member states and the (UN) Secretariat," Langella said, adding that a date for voting by the 193-member General Assembly would then be determined.