Ireland's hopes of securing one of the non-permanent seats on the UN Security Council have taken a blow with the decision of an EU partner, Italy, also to contest the seat.
The election of the European seat by the full General Assembly this autumn for a two-year term, 2000-2001, is now a contest between Ireland, Italy, Norway and Turkey.
The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Andrews, who has been canvassing extensively for support, including a lengthy trip to the Caribbean and Guatemala over Christmas, met his Italian counterpart, Mr Lamberto Dini, about the issue over the weekend on the margins of the informal foreign ministers' meeting. He said he expressed his surprise to Mr Dini at the Italian decision to enter the contest and had emphasised the importance to the UN system of maintaining the possibility of small countries taking the seat.
Italy has a long-held ambition to secure permanent membership of the Security Council when it is finally reformed. But it has also served as a non-permanent member on five occasion, the last time in 19951996.
Ireland has served a full term only once, for 1981-1982, and for one year in 1962.
