Riyadh on Friday announced it had rejected the offer of a seat, condemning what it called international double standards on the Middle East and demanded reforms in the Security Council, which has been at odds on ways to end the fighting in Syria.
Media reports had claimed Kuwait would be the next Asian country in line to be awarded the seat.
However, this was rejected in a report by Kuwaiti daily Al Kuwaitya, which said unnamed “diplomatic sources denied the claims that Kuwait had accepted to take the Security Council seat.”
The Kuwaiti denial comes as the Arab Group at the United Nations urged Saudi Arabia to reconsider its decision.
"We hope that they (Saudi Arabia), which are amongst the blessed who represent the Arab and Islamic world at this important and historical stage, specifically for the Middle East region … maintain their membership in the Security Council," the Arab Group’s statement said.
The group appealed to the kingdom to "continue their brave role in defending our issues specifically at the rostrum of the Security Council."
The Arab Group includes Arab UN member states with the exception of Syria, whose membership was suspended when it was frozen out of the Arab League.
No country has ever been elected to the Security Council and not taken the seat. As an incoming Security Council member, Saudi Arabia would have taken up its council seat on January 1 for a two-year term ending on December 31, 2015.
If the Saudis insist on giving up their seat, the Asia Group will likely find another Arab candidate from the Middle East to take it. Any replacement candidate would likely need to be elected with a two-thirds’ majority in the UN General Assembly.
