New York, June 3 (Petra) -- The United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday elected five new members to the U.N. Security Council, replacing five countries whose terms will expire at the end of this year.

Trinidad and Tobago won, unopposed, the seat allocated to the Latin American and Caribbean Group, succeeding Panama. Zimbabwe was also elected unopposed to the seat designated for the African Group, replacing Somalia.

Austria and Portugal secured the two seats allocated to the Western European and Other States Group, defeating Germany, and will replace Greece and Denmark. Kyrgyzstan won the seat allocated to the Asia-Pacific Group, defeating the Philippines, and will succeed Pakistan.

The General Assembly elects the Security Council’s 10 non-permanent members to two-year terms based on an agreed geographical distribution, with five members elected each year.

//Petra// AF