Source: http://www.un.int/usa/06_251.htm http://www.un.int/usa/06_251.htm
Date: October 2, 2006

USUN PRESS RELEASE #  251(06)   
October 2, 2006 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 	 	 
Remarks by Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, on the straw poll in the Security Council for the next Secretary-General, at the Security Council stakeout, October 2, 2006 
Ambassador Bolton: Well, this is actually going to be quite an important vote this afternoon in the straw poll, the first differentiated ballot. Obviously, we don’t know what the outcome will be, and I assume our normal rules will apply, though we’re not supposed to talk about the vote when it’s over. Which means it will probably take all of you about five minutes to find out what the vote was, so I will come back afterwards. 

But let me be clear that taking into account how the vote goes today, obviously, we think it’s time to begin formal voting in the Security Council. We had our first straw poll on July the 24th. This will be the fourth straw poll. We had been waiting for new candidates to enter, I suppose it’s always possible, but the time is getting close when we should have a formal vote. It’s been our view since February that we wanted to elect a secretary-general with ample time for a transition period. We’ve been saying for some months, late September early October, although I’ve given up on late September, I’m now fixed on early October, so the logic of that is to move to a vote fairly quickly. 

Reporter: How soon do you (inaudible). How soon?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, we want to see how this fourth straw poll goes, but very, very soon.

Reporter: Next week?

Ambassador Bolton: Very, very soon.

Reporter: Today?

Ambassador Bolton: I’d be prepared to vote today.

Reporter: Are you happy with the over all process? How many candidates came forward, their qualities –

Ambassador Bolton: I wish there had been more candidates, and I wish there had been more candidates on a global basis, but it is what it is. We can’t make candidates. We can only make available the circumstances for them to declare themselves. 

Reporter: (Inaudible) have more than one candidate to be (inaudible) to the General Assembly?

Ambassador Bolton: I see no chance of that. 

Reporter: Would you describe the South Korean Foreign Minister as sort of - He’s been out ahead but he’s sort of a compromise. I mean, it doesn’t seem like he’s really everyone’s first choice, he might be everyone’s third choice. 

Ambassador Bolton: I’d rather not comment on any of the candidates before this straw poll. Whether I will after or not depends on how the straw poll goes.

Reporter: Would your feelings about going directly to a formal vote now change or depend on the outcome today? In other words, let’s say, if no one - if every candidate gets at least one discouragement for example, or would it depend on whether it comes from a permanent member? How would the outcome today possibly affect your idea that the next one should be formal?

Ambassador Bolton: It won’t affect it. This is time to go, and I’ve said for quite some time that we wanted to avoid the circumstance we often faced in the Cold War of competitive vetoes. Now I hope that won’t happen because of Cold War tensions which don’t exist anymore, but you cannot know how people will actually vote, first, until you have a differentiated ballot and, second, until you go to a real vote. So the time has come for today’s differentiated ballot, but then for the real vote as well. Okay, I’ll see you all later, okay?