(United Nations, New York) •
The race to succeed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan is picking up speed, with South KoreaÂ’s candidate apparently the front runner, though major powers are yet to reveal their hands.
As Annan prepares to host his final United Nations General Assembly next week before retiring at the end of the year, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon is basking in his second “straw poll” victory in the race.
But, diplomats say, the intrigue is far from over, with more candidates expected to emerge, and plenty of international diplomatic horse-trading to come.
Ban finished ahead of UN Under Secretary-General for Public Affairs Shashi Tharoor of India and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, in his second straw poll win since July, the Argentine and Chinese ambassadors said.
JordanÂ’s UN Ambassador Prince Zeid al-Hussein, who entered the race to succeed Annan only on 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 SeoulÂ’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 KoreaÂ’s embassy in Washington.
Prince ZeidÂ’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 AsiaÂ’s turn to assume the world bodyÂ’s top job in line with an unwritten rule of regional rotation.
The United States and certain other Western nations have said they would like to find the best qualified person for the job, regardless of where he or she comes from.
Asia has not had a UN chief since Myanmar’s U Thant finished his second term in 1971. 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.
On Friday, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania officially put forward Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga as a candidate to succeed Annan.
The 68-year-old would become the first woman secretary-general in the world bodyÂ’s 61-year history, but her chances of winning appeared slim.
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 premier of Singapore, has the required stature to win if he chooses to run.
SingaporeÂ’s ambassador to the United States Chan Heng Chee was also viewed as another attractive candidate and, according to Time magazine, as a US favourite.
GreeceÂ’s UN Ambassador Adamantios Vassilakis, the current president of the council, told reporters that he planned to convene another informal meeting on AnnanÂ’s succession late this month. He said he would present his council colleagues with several proposals, including having another straw poll or a formal vote.