Russia calls for Asian to be next UN leader

MOSCOW - Russia has called for an Asian to succeed Kofi Annan as secretary general of the United Nations, Russian Foreign Affairs minister Serguei Lavrov said.
"Russia knows the position of the UN secretary General Kofi Annan, whose position was agreed during the Afro-Asian summit in Indonesia, which is that the next secretary general should be a representative of Asia," Lavrov said during a press conference with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai.
"We are happy that Russia shares the views expressed by Kofi Annan," Sathirathai said.
"I am here to hear about the Russian position on the reform of the UN and its vision of the world's future," he added.
The UN secretary general has a mandate of five years. Annan was first elected in 1996 and then again in 2001 but was not expected to run for a third term in 2006.

05/13/2005 14:59 GMT