Russia will inherit the United Nations Security Council seat held by the now-dissolved Soviet Union under an agreement Saturday by the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Even as the Soviet Union vanishes, U.N. membership should grow as the other republics seek membership in the General Assembly.Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, whose republic hosted the commonwealth conference, announced the agreement on U.N. membership.
Russia plans to assume the Soviet seat in the General Assembly and take the Soviet Union's permanent seat on the Security Council alongside the other four permanent members with veto power - the United States, the United Kingdom, China and France.
In addition to the Soviet Union, Byelorussia and Ukraine already have seats in the General Assembly - which is composed of representatives of all nations belonging to the United Nations.
"The republic of Byelorussia, Russian Federation and Ukraine will support other commonwealth states in full membership in the U.N. and other international organizations," according to the U.N. agreement hammered out in Alma Ata.
That will give Russia a separate and strong voice in the world body plus add eight more countries to the U.N. roster of some 160-plus nations.
However, the emerging nations of the former Soviet Union must begin by seeking recognition as independent states and then apply for acceptance into the United Nations.
As the former Soviet republics have declared independence, they have slowly picked up diplomatic recognition from other countries one by one.