Western European and Others Group

Western European and Others Group

The Western European and Others Group (WEOG) is one of several unofficial Regional Groups in the United Nations that act as voting blocs and negotiation forums. Regional voting blocs were formed in 1961 to encourage voting to various UN bodies from regional groups. WEOG is unusual in that geography is not the sole defining factor; almost all members are in Western Europe, Northern Europe, or Southern Europe, but the group also contains Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, none of which geographically belong to any other group and each of which are culturally and politically descendent from Western European states. The group also contains two affiliated members, Israel and the United States, which work with the group on some issues and act as observers to most of their meetings.

There were 29 member states as of 2005.

WEOG Member States

Western Europe

*Andorra
*Austria
*Belgium
*Finland
*France
*Germany
*Greece
*Iceland
*Italy
*Denmark
*Liechtenstein
*Luxembourg
*Malta
*Monaco
*Netherlands
*Norway
*Portugal
*Republic of Ireland
*San Marino
*Spain
*Sweden
*Switzerland
*Turkey
*United Kingdom

Others

*Canada
*Australia
*New Zealand

Partial membership

*Israel (not a full member but works with the WEOG on some issues, including nominations) (New York activities only)
*United States (not member, but works with the WEOG on some issues)

The UN's regional grouping system is subject to periodic review.

uggestions to re-arrange the group

In 2000, Israel, though naturally a part of the Asian Group in geographical terms but with membership blocked by Arab countries, was admitted on a temporary basis (subject to renewal) to WEOG's New York activities, thereby enabling it to be a candidate for election to various UN bodies [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/UN/weog.html] . In 2004, Israel obtained a permanent renewal to its membership to the WEOG for New York activities. Without a regional membership, Israel had been unable to be elected to and voiceless in various UN activities and bodies. On June 14, 2005, Dan Gillerman was elected to the position of Vice-President of the 60th UN General Assembly. The last Israeli to hold this position was UN envoy Abba Eban in 1952. Israel's candidacy was put forward by the United Nations Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG). In this position, Gillerman played a central role during the initial negotiation stages of the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.

In 2000, the nine-month anniversary of Nauru's UN membership in the Asian Group prompted a call by that country for a new Oceania regional grouping including Australia and New Zealand within the United Nations regional voting system [http://www.un.org/ga/webcast/statements/nauruE.htm] .


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