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Vietnam and Libya, which had been formerly regarded as foes of the United States, as well as Burkina Faso were among three of the five new non-permanent members elected Tuesday by the General Assembly to serve out their new terms beginning next January.Vietnam, which was unopposed for the one vacant Asian seat, has never been elected to the 15-member Security Council before and will join China and Indonesia at a critical time when pressing issues, such as the handling of Myanmar, are particularly relevant to the regional players.The country was endorsed by the regional group and is replacing outgoing Qatar having garnered 183 votes of support.In addition to being members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Non-Aligned Movement, Vietnam has also expressed its interest in reform of the council, including pushing for more efficient working methods, the interests of developing countries and the wider participation of non-permanent members.From the African bloc, Libya, which last served in 1976-1977, and Burkina Faso were the two unopposed candidates, although until September Mauritania was also in the running, but dropped its candidacy with the understanding that Libya would support its candidature in 2012-2013.Burkina Faso with its 185 votes and Libya, that was backed by 178 votes, are both replacing outgoing Ghana and Congo whose terms expire at the end of the year.Even though Vietnam remains a Communist country, its relationship with the United States has greatly improved since 1975 when the last of the American diplomats left by helicopter as Hanoi's troops moved in to end the war and the two countries began diplomatic ties in 1995.Libya has also recently taken positive steps in improving its ties with the international community, having played a key role in mediating to help solve the Darfur conflict.The country is scheduled to host talks at the end of the month.In recent months Libya also released five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor who had been held since 1999 and accused of infecting in the country children with HIV.The remaining slots for Eastern Europe and Latin America, however, were contested. In the first round of the secret ballot voting The Czech Republic received 91 votes while Croatia by received 95votes. Costa Rica received 116 votes and the Dominican Republican 72. A two- third majority is necessary for any candidate to be backed for the post.In addition to Congo, Ghana and Qatar, Peru and Slovakia will finish out their terms on Dec. 31.As the other non permanent members, Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Panama and South Africa, will remain on the council for one more year.As in the days of Noah....
