Colombia on Friday declared its desire to have a seat on the UN Security Council for the period 2011-2012, representing Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I make explicit today, before this Assembly, my country’s aspiration to become a member of the Security Council for the period 2011-2012,” Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos said while addressing the general debate of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly, which opened here on Thursday.

“We do it on the basis of respect for the principles of the UN Charter, and with commitment to provide our full cooperation to the maintenance of international peace and security,” he said.

“We are confident that our experience, long and painful, can be very useful to all members of the Organization in matters in which we have developed a strong technical and operational capacity,” he said.

If successful, Colombia will succeed Mexico as a non-permanent Security Council member to represent Latin America and the Caribbean, whose term will begin in January 2011. Colombia’s most recent spot as a non-permanent member in the Council was from 2001- 2002, which made its sixth time.

If elected by the UN General Assembly, the terms on the 15- nation Security Council will last for two years.

Touching on issues of security, counter-terrorism and drug trafficking, as well as the fight against the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons, Santos voiced Colombia’s commitment to contributing to the UN efforts to maintain international peace and security.

Taking note that Colombia has been a victim of terrorism and drug trafficking, which mutually feed each other, he also stressed that the region has also been a “model in the fight against them.”

Closing up in his address, Santos called for international solidarity to solve global problems. “Only united, only with respect, only with solidarity, only with tolerance, humanity will be able to know a better tomorrow,” he said.