DHAKA: Saudi Arabia officially told the United Nations that it would not be taking up a UN Security council seat, opening the way for Jordan to take the place.

Saudi envoy to the United Nations Abdullah al-Mouallimi wrote to UN leader Ban Ki-moon to inform him of the move and reaffirm a Saudi protest over the way the council has acted over the Syria conflict.

UN spokesman Martin Nesirky confirmed that a letter had been received about the Security Council seat, but did not give details.

‘The matter is now one for the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Security Council and the member states to consider,’ he said, dailynewsegypt.com reports on Wednesday.

Saudi Arabia won a seat on the Security Council for the first time last month. But the following day the Saudi government stunned leading powers by announcing it would not take up the place.

Western diplomats now say Jordan will take up the seat. Jordanian officials have confirmed that the move is being discussed but not confirmed the country will take up the seat.

Jordan did however withdraw its candidacy from the race for a UN Human Rights Council position so that Saudi Arabia was guaranteed a place in an election held on Tuesday.

Jordan is believed to be wary of taking up the seat because of its sensitive position on the frontier of the Syrian civil war.

A new UN General Assembly election will have to be held to allow a new country to take up the two year seat that Saudi Arabia should have started on January 1.

BDST: 1934 HRS, NOV 13, 2013
RoR/RIS