Jordan applies for UNSCO seat rejected by Saudi Arabia

Jordan has officially applied for a nonpermanent UN Security Council seat that was rejected by Saudi Arabia last month, the state-run Petra news agency reported Monday. Jordan had sent an official letter to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon asking him to start taking necessary measures so that it can assume the seat, said Jordan's Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh. Jordan's request comes after consultations with Saudi Arabia and several Arab states which voiced their support for the move, he added. Jordan took a seat in the council in 1955. Last week, a spokesperson for the UN secretary-general confirmed the United Nations received Saudi Arabia's letter, officially notifying the world body of its decision to reject its seat in the council. The oil-rich kingdom said it rejected the seat over the Security Council's failure to take an action regarding the conflict in Syria.