Germany Chairs U.N. Security Council

Germany once again chairs the United Nations Security Council. For the month of April, the rotating presidency has fallen to Germany, which in January 2003 became a member of the U.N.'s top decision-making body for a two-year period. The fight against terror, the situations in Iraq, the Middle East and Afghanistan and efforts to prevent the further proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are likely to top the agenda in April. Berlin has been trying for years to gain a permanent seat on the 15-member council. Only China, France, Great Britain, Russia and the United States are standing members, while the remaining 10 seats rotate for two-year terms between the other 186 U.N. member states.