Sri Lankan quits race for UN top posthttp://images.photogallery.indiatimes.com/images/spacer.gif \* MERGEFORMATINET

September 30, 2006
The Times of India 
http://images.photogallery.indiatimes.com/images/spacer.gif \* MERGEFORMATINETOriginal Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2054573.cms


UNITED NATIONS: Sri Lanka has withdrawn its candidate from the race to succeed UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan but more may join the field before Monday's decisive straw poll in the Security Council. 

South Korea's Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon has emerged the front-runner for the job with India's nominee Shashi Tharoor finishing second in three such informal polls. 

Colombo Friday withdrew the name of Jayantha Dhanapala, a career diplomat and former UN undersecretary-general for disarmament, saying it did not want to further pursue his candidature in the interest of ensuring a consensus in electing an Asian candidate. 

A candidate needs at least nine votes in favour and no veto from any of the permanent council members, the US, Britain, France, Russia and China. 

In Monday's straw poll, coloured ballots will be used to distinguish the veto holders from the other 10 council members, elected for two-year terms. 

In Thursday's informal poll, Ban received 13 votes in favour, one less than in the previous balloting. In second place was Tharoor, the UN undersecretary-general for public information, with eight favourable votes followed by Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the only woman and non-Asian in the race, with seven positive votes. 

Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, whose country had a coup last week, received five votes. Dhanapala, Jordan's UN Ambassador Prince Zeid al Hussein and former Afghan Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani received three votes each. 

The next secretary-general is to come from Asia because the job traditionally rotates among regions. The last Asian in the post was U Thant of Burma, who held office from 1961 to 1971.