Straw poll: 12 candidates to be informed of outcome for the post of UN Chief

The candidates will be informed of the results through the respective permanent representatives of nominating (UN) member states

The president of the UN Security Council told reporters on Thursday that all the 12 announced candidates for the post of UN chief will be informed of the outcome of the first round of a secret straw poll by the 15-nation council.

"The first straw poll to select the next secretary-general has taken place," Ambassador Koro Bossho of Japan, this month's president of the Security Council, said outside the council's chamber less than two hours after the polling started at 10:00 am local time.

"The candidates will be informed of the results through the respective permanent representatives (ambassadors) of nominating (UN) member states," he said.

"The president of the General Assembly (PGA) was informed," he added.

Bossho later explained he gave the PGA the same information he gave reporters, in other words, no indication of the standings of the candidates.

A second straw poll has not yet been scheduled.