国际英语新闻：Brazil to take over Security Council presidency for month of February

UNITED NATIONS, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Brazil is expected to take over the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council on Tuesday.

Brazilian UN Ambassador Maria Luiza Ribeiro Viotti is scheduled to take over the council presidency on Tuesday from Ambassador Ivan Barbalic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who holds the presidency of the 15-nation Security Council for January.

This is the second year of Brazil's term on the council. Viotti is expected to brief reporters on the month's program of work on Wednesday.

The Security Council presidency rotates among the Council members in the English alphabetical order of their names. Each president holds office for one calendar month.

Under the UN Charter, the Security Council has the primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security in the world at large.

The Security Council has 15 members: five permanent members -- China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom and the United States -- and 10 non-permanent members elected by the UN General Assembly for two-year terms. Brazil is one of the non- permanent members.