The Council has 15 members-- five permanent members and 10 elected
by the General Assembly for two-year terms:

Membership and Presidency of  the Security Council in 2003
MONTH	PRESIDENCY	MEMBERSHIP TERM ENDS
January	France	Permanent Member
February	Germany	31 December 2004
March	Guinea	31 December 2003
April	Mexico	31 December 2003
May	Pakistan	31 December 2004
June	Russian Federation	Permanent Member
July	Spain	31 December 2004
August	Syrian Arab Republic	31 December 2003
September	United Kingdom	Permanent Member
October	United States	Permanent Member
November	Angola	31 December 2004
December	Bulgaria	31 December 2003
	Cameroon	31 December 2003
	China	Permanent Member
	Chile	31 December 2004

The following countries began their two-year membership term on 1 January 2003:

Each Council member has one vote. Decisions on procedural matters are made by an affirmative vote of at least nine of the 15 members. Decisions onsubstantive matters require nine votes, including the concurring votes of all five permanent members. This is the rule of "great Power unanimity", often referred to as the "veto" power.

Under the Charter, all Members of the United Nations agree to accept and carry out the decisions of the Security Council. While other organs of the United Nations make recommendations to Governments, the Council alone has the power to take decisions which Member States are obligated under the Charter to carry out.