Caracas, 3 de octubre de 2003 - Offnews.info

11are already strong, having secured an free-trade agreement (FTA) alongsideits Central American colleagues and the Dominican Republic.The current UN election for the Latin American UNSC seat is set to be aprotracted and intense one, the first of the kind since the end of the ColdWar. It could possibly come to an end with the introduction of a thirdcountry in the race, taking tension away from the incumbent polarisedoptions.Venezuela, Guatemala resume battle for UN Security Council seatVenezuela was poised Tuesday to to press forward its fight for a nonpermanentseat on the UN Security Council against US-backed rivalGuatemala.Neither country emerged victorious in 10 rounds of voting in the UNGeneral Assembly Monday, despite heavy lobbying from Venezuela'sambassador Francisco Arias Cardenas and, on the other side, US ambassadorJohn Bolton pulling for Guatemala.The country that prevails must have two-thirds support in the United NationsGeneral Assembly -- about 125 votes, depending on the number ofabstentions among the 192 member states.The small Central American nation led oil-rich Venezuela Monday in everyround but the sixth, which was a tie. The final round ended with 77 votes forCaracas to 110 for Guatemala.After the marathon session, UN General Assembly President Sheikha HayaRashed Al-Khalifa of Bahrain set further voting -- to resume at 10:00 am(1400 GMT) -- for Tuesday.UN rules allow for indefinite rounds of voting. A previous battle betweenCuba and Colombia lasted two months and 154 rounds. It ended in January1980 with the election of a third candidate, Mexico.