A/61/PV.46 General Assembly

The result of the voting is as follows: Group C – Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 186 Number of invalid ballots: 2 Number of valid ballots: 184 Abstentions: 3 Required two-thirds majority: 121 Votes obtained: Belarus 93 Bulgaria 88 Since no candidate obtained the required two- thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We shall therefore proceed to the third restricted ballot. This fourth round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected in the previous ballot, namely, Belarus and Bulgaria. That is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. Before we begin the voting process, I should like to remind members that, pursuant to rule 88 of the rules of procedure of the General Assembly, no representative shall interrupt the voting except on a point of order on the actual conduct of the voting. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “C” will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “C”, for the Eastern European States, will be declared invalid if they contain the name of State other than Belarus or Bulgaria, as well as if they contain the name of more than one State.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group C – Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 186 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 186 Abstentions: 3 Required two-thirds majority: 122 Votes obtained: Belarus 99 Bulgaria 84 Since no candidate obtained the required two- thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We must therefore proceed to the first unrestricted ballot. This fifth round of balloting is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. May I remind the Assembly that any Member State from among the Eastern European States may be a candidate, except those that will remain members of the Economic and Social Council as of 1 January 2007, as well as those that were already elected for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2007, namely, Albania, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Romania and the Russian Federation. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “C” will now be distributed. May I request representatives to write on the ballot papers marked “C”, for the Eastern European States, the name of the one State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “C” will be declared invalid if they contain the name of more than of State, as well as if they contain the name of a Member State that does not belong to the region.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group C – Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 187 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 187 Abstentions: 2 Required two-thirds majority: 124 Votes obtained: Belarus 107 Bulgaria 77 Serbia 1 Since no candidate obtained the required two- thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We must therefore proceed to a second unrestricted ballot. This sixth round of balloting is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. May I remind the Assembly that any Member State from among the Eastern European States may be a candidate, except those that will remain members of the Economic and Social Council as of 1 January 2007, as well as those that were already elected for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2007, namely, Albania, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Romania and the Russian Federation. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “C” will now be distributed. May I request representatives to write on the ballot papers marked “C”, for the Eastern European States, the name of the one State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “C” will be declared invalid if they contain the name of more than of State, as well as if they contain the name of a Member State that does not belong to the region.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group C – Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 186 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 186 Abstentions: 2 Required two-thirds majority: 123 Votes obtained: Belarus 115 Bulgaria 67 Estonia 1 Latvia 1 Since no candidate obtained the required two- thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We must therefore proceed to a third unrestricted ballot. This seventh round of balloting is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. May I remind the Assembly that any Member State from among the Eastern European States may be a candidate, except those that will remain members of the Economic and Social Council as of 1 January 2007, as well as those that were already elected for a three-year term beginning on 1 January 2007, namely, Albania, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Romania and the Russian Federation. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “C” will now be distributed. May I request representatives to write on the ballot papers marked “C”, for the Eastern European States, the name of the one State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “C” will be declared invalid if they contain the name of more than of State, as well as if they contain the name of a Member State that does not belong to the region.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group C – Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 185 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 185 Abstentions: 1 Required two-thirds majority: 123 Votes obtained: Belarus 120 Bulgaria 64 Since no candidate obtained the required two- thirds majority in the previous ballot, there remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. We must therefore proceed to the eighth round of balloting, which is the fourth restricted ballot. This eighth round of balloting shall be restricted to the two States from among the Eastern European States that were not elected in the previous ballot, namely, Belarus and Bulgaria. That is in accordance with rule 94 of the rules of procedure. We shall now begin the voting process. Members are requested to remain seated until all ballots have been collected. Ballot papers marked “C” will now be distributed. May I ask representatives to write on the ballot papers the name of the State for which they wish to vote. Ballot papers marked “C”, for the Eastern European States, will be declared invalid if they contain the name of State other than Belarus or Bulgaria, as well as if they contain the name of more than one State.

The result of the voting is as follows: Group C – Eastern European States Number of ballot papers: 186 Number of invalid ballots: 0 Number of valid ballots: 186 Abstentions: 1 Required two-thirds majority: 124 Votes obtained: Belarus 123 Bulgaria 62 This restricted ballot has again been inconclusive. There remains one seat to be filled from among the Eastern European States. In accordance with the rules of procedure, we should continue with a series of restricted ballots. However, in view of the lateness of the hour, unless I hear any objection, I propose that we postpone further balloting until the morning of Tuesday, 7 November 2006. Programme of work The Acting President: In connection with the meeting of the General Assembly to be held on Tuesday, 7 November, I wish to inform members that we shall first continue with the election of the members of the Security Council. Thereafter, we shall continue with the election of the members of the Economic and Social Council. In connection with the Economic and Social Council election, I would also like to announce to members that I have been informed by the delegation of Australia that it wishes to relinquish its seat on the Economic and Social Council for the remainder of its term, in favour of New Zealand. Consequently, the Assembly will conduct another by- election to fill that seat.