CRI听力:Five New Countries to Join Security Council

Venezuela, New Zealand, Malaysia, Angola and Spain have been elected to non-permanent seats on the United Nations Security Council.

The countries will hold the non-veto seats for two years starting next year.

Venezuela, Malaysia and Angola campaigned unopposed for their seats.

New Zealand, Spain and Turkey competed for the remaining two seats.

New Zealand took its seat on the first ballot.

New Zealand Foreign Minister Murray McCully:

"Our country is obviously touched to have been given such a strong vote. We are a small nation, we run for this office maybe every 20 years and to receive the success we had this morning means a lot to us and we will work very hard to make sure that we give good service on the council."

For Venezuela, its election represents a significant victory.

Venezuela last tried to join the 15-member council in 2006, but failed to win the required two-thirds support of the General Assembly.

The newly-elected Security Council members will replace Argentina, Australia, Luxembourg, South Korea and Rwanda.