South Korea's Ban 'leads UN race'

By Mike Wooldridge
World affairs correspondent, BBC News

It seems like that Asia will provide the next UN head

South Korea's Foreign Minister, Ban Ki-moon, is reported to be still ahead in the contest to succeed Kofi Annan as secretary general of the UN.

Members of the Security Council say he received the most support in another straw poll on Thursday.

He was ahead of senior UN official Shashi Tharoor of India and the Thai Deputy Prime Minister, Surakiart Sathirathai.

Mr Annan's 10-year term in office ends on 31 December.

This second straw poll appears to have produced a similar result to the first, held in July, though there was one key difference.

A recent entrant, Jordan's ambassador to the UN, Prince Zeid al-Hussein, is said to have come in fourth place, ahead of Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri Lanka, a former UN disarmament official.

Caution urged

Mr Ban might appear to be establishing himself as the front-runner, but diplomats urge caution in interpreting these straw polls because strong early contenders can fall away as the process moves towards its conclusion.

The poll suggested Prince Zeid al-Hussein has edged into fourth place

It all takes place behind closed doors, with the Security Council having the final say.

However, this time, more of a conscious effort is being made to consult countries that are not on the council, and the candidates are lobbying for the job of world's chief diplomat more openly.

A consensus has developed that it will be Asia's turn to provide a new secretary general, Jordan counting as part of the Asia group at the UN.

If the Jordanian ambassador were eventually to beat the other candidates, he would be the first Muslim to head the world body.