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South Korean FM emerges as frontrunner in race to succeed Annan as UN chief
By Gerard Aziakou
AFP
UNITED NATIONS
Petroleumworld.com 09 15 06
The Security Council hands South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon a second victory in a "straw poll" to select a successor to UN chief Kofi Annan, but the race remains wide open with more candidates expected to enter the fray.
As in the previous secret-ballot poll held in July, Ban finished ahead of UN Under Secretary-General for Public Affairs Shashi Tharoor of India and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, the Argentine and Chinese ambassadors said.
Jordan's UN Ambassador Prince Zeid al-Hussein, who entered the race to succeed Annan only September 5, came in fourth ahead of former UN disarmament chief Jayantha Dhanapala, a Sri Lankan, they added.
"It was the same order (for the top three) as in July," Argentina's UN Ambassador Cesar Mayoral told reporters.
His Chinese colleague Wang Guangya later confirmed Ban's victory, saying he was now clearly the frontrunner.
"Things can always change, but now he is leading," Wang said.
A career diplomat, Ban served as Seoul's chief envoy to the world body from 2001 to 2003 and also acted as the chief secretary to former UN General Assembly president Han Seung-soo.
The 62-year-old foreign minister also previously served at South Korea's embassy in Washington.
Prince Zeid's fourth place came as a surprise and a disappointment to many diplomats as his late entry into what had widely been viewed as a lackluster field had fueled expectations that he could emerge as a viable compromise candidate.
The 15 members of the council had three options to signal their opinions of the five contenders: "encourage", "discourage" or "no opinion."
Sources said Ban received 14 encouragements and one discouragement while Tharoor got 10 encouragements, three discouragements and two abstentions.
All five declared candidates hail from what the United Nations regards as the Asian region amid a consensus here that it is now Asia's turn to assume the world body's top job in line with an unwritten rule of regional rotation.
Asia has not had a UN chief since Myanmar's U Thant finished his second term in 1971.
Despite Ban's current front-runner status, some diplomats said the council was hoping to see some of the declared candidates drop out and stronger candidates throw their hats into the ring.
"Anyone can join the race as long he is recommended by his government," Wang said.
Under UN Charter rules, the secretary general is elected by the 192-member General Assembly under recommendation from the Security Council, whose five permanent members -- the United States, China, France, Britain and Russia -- have veto power.
In practice, the five permanent members have dominated the secretary general succession process.
And several diplomats said the winner will have to be acceptable to both the United States and China.
The buzz on the diplomatic circuit is that Goh Chok Tong, former prime minister of Singapore, has the required stature to win if he chooses to run.
Singapore's ambassador to the United States Chan Heng Chee was also viewed as another attractive candidate and according to Time magazine as a US favorite.
The United States and some other Western powers have meanwhile made it clear that they want the best qualified person for the job irrespective of national origin.
AFP 14 1632 GMT 09 06
Copyright ©2006 AFP. All Rights Reserved.
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