Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dzung pledged Thursday to work for peace and development in the world, with his country in line to join the UN Security Council for the first time, according to dpa. Dzung said in an address to the UN General Assembly that Asian countries had selected Vietnam as the only candidate to run for the Asian seat on the 15-nation Security Council. Elections will be held in the General Assembly in mid-October for five new council members to begin two-year terms in January. "Vietnam will fully adhere to the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter, and we will do our utmost to cooperate with other members to fulfil this important task," Dzung said. "Vietnam will work closely with other countries to reduce tension, prevent and peacefully settle conflicts in different parts of the world." Vietnam became a UN member only in 1977 after the end of the US- led war pitting the south against the north. US-backed South Vietnam was defeated in 1975. The Security Council is composed of 10 countries elected for two- year terms, plus five permanent members with veto power: the United States, Russia, Britain, China and France. Each year, the General Assembly elects five new members to fill the seats of five outgoing members. The 10 non-permanent members rotate among the world's five regions.
