Sri Lanka firmly behind Dhanapala for top UN post 

By Ananth Palakidnar
January 23, 2006
Daily News (Sri Lanka)
Original Source: http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/01/23/news02.htm

SRI LANKA firmly supports Dr. Jayantha Dhanapala's candidature for the United Nations Secretary General post, President Mahinda Rajapakse assured. 
President Rajapakse said Sri Lanka would do everything possible to ensure Dhanapala's victory. All political parties in Sri Lanka have expressed their fullest support for Dhanapala's candidature for the top UN post. 
The President has also written to Heads of States and Governments of Key countries urging their support to Dhanapala. Dhanapala is the most promising candidate among the three other formal candidates. 
Dhanapala, the Senior Advisor to the President was a former United Nations Under Secretary General on Disarmament. He was also the former Director General of the Peace Secretariat. 
Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera has already spoken to Sri Lankan missions abroad and Colombo based missions with regard to supporting Dhanapala. 
The other contenders for the top post are Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Surakiarat Sathirathai and South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon when UN Secretary General Koffi Annan's tenure comes to an end later this year.