UN Security Council holds second straw poll on next UN chief selection

The UN Security Council on Friday held its second straw poll behind closed doors on 11 candidates competing for the post of the next UN secretary-general.

The 15-nation council will inform the candidates of the results of the voting, Malaysia's Ambassador Dato Ramlan Ibrahim, Security Council president for this month, told reporters here.

Under the UN Charter, the UN secretary-general shall be appointed by the General Assembly upon the recommendation of the Security Council. In practice, the Security Council, particularly its five permanent members, will make the final choice and send a single candidate to the General Assembly for approval.

Currently, 11 candidates stay in the campaign. One day before the second poll, Former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic announced her withdrawal from the campaign due to the result of the first poll which shows her chances for the post were slim.

In the council's balloting conducted behind closed doors, council members voted "encourage," "discourage" or "no opinion" for each candidate. Pusic got the least encourage vote in the first round.

Diplomats have said the poll is to encourage those candidates who don't do well to drop out of the race.

The incumbent UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is going to conclude his term at the end of 2016. The council's decision to select the top leader of the world organization shall come later in the fall. Enditem