France is scheduled to take over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of January 2009 on Thursday, as Austria, Japan, Turkey, Mexico and Uganda will join the 15-nation Council as nonpermanent members.

The Security Council, the most powerful organ in the United Nations, has five permanent members and 10 nonpermanent members, five of which rotate each for two-year terms. All nonpermanent members are elected by the 192-member General Assembly.

The five new members for 2009-2010 are replacing Belgium, Indonesia, Italy, Panama and South Africa, whose terms expire at the end of 2008.

Britain, China, France, Russia and the United States make up the five permanent members of the Council.

The other five nonpermanent members are Burkina Faso, Costa Rica, Croatia, Libya and Vietnam, whose two-year terms are to expire at the end of 2009.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security.

(Xinhua News Agency January 1, 2009)