In its annual round of diplomatic musical chairs, the General Assembly chose five new members for the coveted seats on the Security Council, the U.N.'s most prestigious body. The new members, Angola, Malaysia, New Zealand, Spain and Venezuela begin their two year terms starting in January 2015.
But beyond what even some diplomats see as an almost pro forma shuffling of the deck for the fifteen-member Council, the seats are selected both for geographical balance and equity in the 193 member state world organization. In fact, the seats often reflect political influence as much as high stakes behind the scenes bargaining in regional blocs.
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