Germany assumed on Friday the presidency of the UN Security Council for July with a busy programme of work ranging from the protection of children in armed conflict to nuclear disarmament, according to dpa. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said Germany's presidency would take account of the new centres of power. "We have to realize that there are new heavyweights, ranging from China to Latin America to South Africa or India," he told broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk in an interview. Germany would also focus on disarmament, non-proliferation of nuclear weapons and global warming, Westerwelle said. The 15-nation council had no official meeting on Friday. But the German ambassador to the UN, Peter Wittig, was holding discussion with council members to agree on the monthly programme for the body and meetings would begin next week. The council presidency rotates monthly among the 15 countries by alphabetical order. Germany is serving a two-year term on the council, which will expire at the end of 2012.
