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Tharoor coming to Delhi to discuss UN post race
Tharoor is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some other leaders here during his first visit after being fielded by India for the top post of the world body, sources said.
UN Under Secretary General for Communications and Public Information Shashi Tharoor, nominated by India as its candidate for the post of UN Secretary General, will arrive in Delhi on Sunday to discuss the future course of action.
Tharoor is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and some other leaders here during his first visit after being fielded by India for the top post of the world body, sources said.
In his first reaction to his nomination, the 50-year-old well-known author said he was "deeply honoured" by the government's decision to field him for the prestigious post.
Noting that he believed a well-functioning UN can make real difference in the world, he expressed his determination to work towards that end if elected.
If elected, Tharoor will be the first Indian to occupy that post.
India's decision to field him comes with an assertion that under the principle of regional rotation, the next Secretary General of the UN should be from Asia.
Tharoor, who has served at the UN in various capacities and has been closely involved in the process of UN reforms, will be competing from at least three other candidates from Asia -- Sri Lanka's Jayantha Dhanapala, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirthai and South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon.
India believes that a prospective UN Secretary General should be of "impeccable credentials, be acceptable to the broadest possible membership of the UN and have a strong commitment to the reform of the UN and the interests of the developing countries."
