Sri Lanka withdraws its candidate from UNSG race

Following poor ratings in straw polls for the post of UN Secretary General, the Govt withdrew its candidate, reports PK Balachandran.

Following poor ratings in successive straw polls for the post of UN Secretary General, the Sri Lankan government on Friday withdrew its candidate, Jayantha Dhanapala.

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A press release issued by Sri Lanka's Permanent Mission in the UN on Friday said: "Following the results of the third straw poll in the election of the Secretary General conducted by the members of the Security Council on Thursday 28 September 2006, the Government of Sri Lanka, with the full agreement of its candidate, has now decided not to further pursue the candidature of Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala in the interest of ensuring a consensus in electing an Asian candidate."

"It is the hope of the Government of Sri Lanka that this action will facilitate the election of the emerging most favoured candidate."

"The Government of Sri Lanka has consistently held the view that the next Secretary General of the United Nations should be an Asian and, to this end, nominated Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala, a distinguished career diplomat and former international civil servant for the post."