South Africa will takeover as the KP chair next year, and Milovanovic said that China had volunteered to serve as deputy chair - a step which could see Beijing, which is working hard to cement ties with resource-rich African nations, takeoverthe full chairmanship in 2014.
On Wednesday, Canada will takeoverthe council chairmanship in a meeting that will include signing a treaty on oil-spill preparedness and response as well as the decision on whether to increase the roster of permanent observers, with India, Japan, Italy and the European Union joining China and others on the list.
As examples, D'Amato mentioned his fight for breast cancer research funds and using his Finance Committee chairmanship to take on the Swiss banks over Nazi gold.
He would keep his chairmanship and perhaps takeover as leader of the parliamentary party too a daunting power base even with his rival as head of government (should the Social Democrats win).