WASHINGTON - Venezuela, in a stalemate over its quest for a U.N. Security Council seat, has asked the Dominican Republic to consider seeking the post, Dominican President Leonel Fernandez said Thursday.

Venezuela has been vying in the U.N. General Assembly with Guatemala for the seat but neither has won the two-thirds majority needed for victory after 41 ballots.

The battle for the seat has attracted international attention. A Venezuelan victory would give its president, Hugo Chavez, a new platform for airing his anti-American views.

Fernandez said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro called him to discuss the possibility of a Dominican official emerging as a possible consensus candidate.

"We are going to consider that as a possibility," Fernandez said at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

The Dominican Republic has good relations with the U.S. and Venezuela.

Guatemala is seen as pro-American and has had the strong support of the United States. The seat is reserved for a country from the Latin American-Caribbean region and will become vacant on Jan. 1.