5 candidates from ex-Yugoslav area in race for UN sec-gen

5 candidates from ex-Yugoslav area in race for UN sec-gen

The next UN chief should come from Eastern Europe, the only UN regional group that has never had its representative hold the top UN office.

The Beta agency is reporting on Tuesday that "it is believed" a woman might be "given advantage" because no woman has so far been at the helm of the UN.

The agency added that "experience in the UN is an additional plus for each candidate, but the condition of all conditions is that they are acceptable to all five permanent members of the UN Security Council with veto power."

Although the application process has not yet been completed, the presentation of candidates has began at UN HQs. In "informal dialogues" they will answer questions of representatives of member states - a novelty compared to previous practice.

In the next three days, eight candidates will present their programs, among them four from the former Yugoslavia, and four women.

Besides Jeremic, they include former Montenegrin and Croatian foreign ministers Igor Luksic and Vesna Pusic, former Slovenian president and long-time official in the UN Danilo Turk, and former Macedonian Minister and President of the UN General Assembly Srgjan Kerim.

Other candidates include Bulgaria's former Foreign Minister and Director of UNESCO Irina Bokova and former Moldovan Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman. Two non-Eastern Europe Group candidates have also submitted their applications: former Prime Minister of Portugal and UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres and former New Zealand PM and UNDP administrator Helen Clark.

The next UN secretary-general will be elected by the General Assembly, on the recommendation of the Security Council, i.e.with the approval of all five permanent members with veto power. In the event that the Security Council cannot agree on one candidate, the decision will be up to the UN General Assembly.

The government of Serbia on Tuesday officially supported the candidacy Vuk Jeremic.

On Wednesday, UN General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft announced on his Twitter account that Jeremic would be taking part in "dialogues", i.e., presenting his candidacy, on Thursday.