Moon tops second straw poll

India's nominee Shashi Tharoor came second followed by Thailand's Surakirat Sathirathai in the informal UN poll.

India's nominee Shashi Tharoor on Thursday came second in the second 'straw poll' for the United Nations Secretary General's post, diplomats said in United Nations.

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South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon topped the straw poll, an informal voting done to guage the support enjoyed by the candidates among the UN member states.

Moon was followed by Tharoor, who had come second in the first straw poll also.

Thailand Deputy Prime Minister Surakirat Sathirathai was third, followed by Jordan's UN Ambassador Price Zeid al-Hussein, who joined the race early this month to succeed Kofi Annan, who will be leaving the post in December.

Sri Lanka's Jayantha Dhanapala came fifth in the poll.