Bulgarian Foreign Minister: Russia has not objected to Georgieva entry into UN race
Bulgarian Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov said on September 30 that there were no objections from Russia and other countries to Bulgaria’s nomination of Kristalina Georgieva as a candidate in the race to be UN Secretary-General.
Mitov said that countries had asked for “clarification”.
He was speaking after news agency AFP said that Russia and three other Security Council members had raised questions about the Georgieva nomination.
“UN officials suggested that Russia’s objections were a possible indication that Moscow was unenthusiastic about Georgieva’s bid to become the first woman to lead the United Nations,” according to AFP.
Mitov said that there was a “technical clarification” after the UN had made public the letter from the Bulgarian government about the nomination of Georgieva.
The letter said that Georgieva was Bulgaria’s “single and unique” candidate.
Mitov said that this meant that she was the country’s only candidate, after the Bulgarian government on September 28 revoked its decision, made in February, to nominate Irina Bokova.
“Henceforth the only candidate who is supported by Bulgaria is Mrs Kristalina Georgieva,” Mitov said.
Georgieva is to attend a hearing at the UN General Assembly on October 3, two days before the next scheduled “straw poll” among the 15 members of the UN Security Council about the candidates.
The next “straw poll” will differ from the five previous ones in that colour-coded ballots will be used, meaning that there will be a clear indication if the veto-holding five permanent members of the Security Council have voted against a candidate.
The UN’s official page about the UN Secretary-General race now has two candidates who are Bulgarians – Georgieva and Bokova.
Bokova has said that she is not withdrawing from the race. In the most recent poll, she placed sixth, having not turned in a performance any better than joint third in previous votes. The outcome of the September 26 vote was cited by the Bulgarian government as the reason for its September 28 decision to nominate Georgieva, whom the government has described as having far better chances than Bokova of victory.
(Photo of Georgieva and Mitov: mfa.bg)
