国际英语新闻：Five new rotating members elected to UN Security Council

This is the first time for Canada to fail in winning the Council seat as the North American country lost support from African and Arab countries for its strong pro-Israeli policies, observers here said.

Canada was successful in obtaining the Council seat once in a decade over the past years. The country has served recently from 1999 to 2000 and having fulfilled six terms yet, roughly one each decade since 1947.

The five new seat holders will replace outgoing Austria, Japan, Mexico, Turkey and Uganda, whose terms on the Council end on Dec. 31, 2010.

Under the UN Charter, the 10 non-permanent members are elected by the General Assembly.

Ten of the Security Council's 15 seats are filled by the regional groups for two-year stretches, with five elected in October each year.

Indian UN Ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri told reporters here that the elections victory will strengthen his country's commitment to the 192-member world body.

"We were an endorsed candidate, but there was a contest, so the endorsement came after a long campaign," the Indian ambassador said." "This reinforces our commitment to work in the council along with others on issues to which we have always given priority "