Moscow hopes woman from Eastern Europe becomes next UN secretary general
UNITED NATIONS (New York). Oct 4 (Interfax) - Russia favors the election of a woman as the next UN secretary general, Russian Permanent Representative to the United Nations Vitaly Churkin said.
"I have spoken with all candidates and they like Russia's straightforward and clear opinion that it is time a person with origins in Eastern Europe took that position. We would like it to be a woman but we are less PR-oriented than certain countries, which openly declare their preference of a woman but actually vote for a man. We do not act in this fashion," Churkin said.
"In fact, there is a need for the best candidate to enjoy the support of the Security Council and to be popular with the UN system," he said.
The envoy said he hoped that recommendations on the candidate for next UN secretary general might be elaborated for the UN General Assembly in October, during his presidency at the UN Security Council. "As I have already said, it would be premature to make such statements but, hopefully, we will succeed. There is a real chance to do so but, if not, everything will have to start from the beginning," he said, replying to a journalist's question.
The sixth round of elections will be held on October 5 and this time there will be ballot papers of different colors for permanent and non-permanent members of the UN Security Council, Churkin said.
"People will see how permanent members of the UN Security Council vote," the envoy said.
