Thailand eyes key post at UN

Thailand eyes key post at UN

THAILAND: Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra used the Third
Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) ministerial meeting in China on
Tuesday to push for the nomination of his foreign minister as the
next United Nations secretary general.

Speaking to delegates representing 22 Asian countries in the
Chinese city of Qingdao, Thaksin said it was time for an Asian to
take the post currently held by Kofi Annan.

"It has been more than 35 years since the last Asian held the
post of UN secretary general," Thaksin said in a speech made
available in Bangkok. He said it was "more than high time that an
Asian stood for this candidacy when the term of the present
secretary-general expires".

"And if you ask on the part of Thailand, well, I think, for
Asia's sake, I may reluctantly have to sacrifice one of my most
able cabinet ministers, my foreign minister, to make himself
available!" Thaksin said. --DPA