Energy News  
Thailand seeks US, China support for UN top job

by Staff Writers
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Jul 24, 2006
Thailand's candidate for the UN's top job will seek the support of the United States, China and its Southeast Asian neighbours at a regional meeting here this week, officials said Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai is to meet with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers later Monday to boost his campaign in the face of growing competition from other countries in the region.

"We are entering the crucial period. A reaffirmation of support from ASEAN is very important," Sihasak Phuangketkeow, deputy permanent secretary at the Thai foreign ministry told AFP.

"We need to beef up our campaign," he said, adding that ASEAN is expected to lobby on behalf of Thailand.

Malaysia is also hosting Asia's top security forum, which convenes Thursday, giving Surakiart access to figures like US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and counterparts from China, India, Japan and South Korea.

The consensus at the United Nations is that it is now Asia's turn to have a secretary general. The winning candidate would replace Ghana's Kofi Annan, who will step down at the end of this year after having completed two five-year terms.

"Surakiart will use the opportunity to meet ASEAN's dialogue partners" to garner their support, Sihasak said when asked if Surakiart would appeal to the United States and regional power China for their backing.

Sihasak declined to rate Thailand's chances but said that "at least we are taken as a serious candidate".

"We are working hard on this. It is not an easy process," he said.

Indian candidate Shashi Tharoor, an undersecretary at the United Nations, has emerged as a favourite for the post.

Other top contenders include Sri Lankan presidential adviser Jayantha Dhanapala, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon, and Latvian President Vike Frieberga.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar defended his meeting Monday with Tharoor, who is in Kuala Lumpur for a conference organised by a local thinktank.

"There should not be any doubt, there should not be any question about ASEAN's support for the candidature of Dr. Surakiart," he told a press conference.

"In diplomacy we meet people all the time. The fact that they are adversaries or your opponents or they are contesting should not prevent us from meeting people."

"I met Shashi Tharoor just now, we had a discussion. He understood the ASEAN position. He said, I know, I'm not going to ask you for your support."

Community
Email This Article
Comment On This Article

Related Links
China News from SinoDaily.com



Memory Foam Mattress Review
Newsletters :: SpaceDaily :: SpaceWar :: TerraDaily :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News


China jails provincial transport chief for bribery
Beijing (AFP) Jul 24, 2006
The former transport head of an eastern Chinese province has been jailed for 20 years for giving and taking nearly 3.2 million yuan (400,000 dollars) in bribes, state press said Monday.







  • Fuel Cells, A Neglected Clean Source Of Energy
  • European retirees creating a boom market for Thai property
  • Exiled Tibetan government warns against increased mining
  • Greenland Begins Sale Of Oil Concessions

  • US-India Nuke Deal Revisited
  • Environmentalists Arrested In Russia After Anti-Nuclear Protest
  • US May Ask Russian Help With Nuke Waste
  • IAEA Chief Cautions Turkey Over Nuclear Energy Plans

  • California's Model Skies
  • ESA Picks SSTL To Develop Atmospheric CO2 Detector
  • Faster Atmospheric Warming In Subtropics Pushes Jet Streams Toward Poles
  • Atmospheric Warming Expanding The Tropics

  • Malaysia And Indonesia Join Forces To Dampen Haze Problem
  • Fires Rage In Indonesian Borneo And Sumatra
  • WWF Warns Over Pulp Giant In Indonesia
  • World Bank Vows To Improve Forestry Program In Cambodia

  • Smog Damage To Crops Costing Billions
  • WWF Reports That Bluefin Tuna Fishery Threatened In East Atlantic
  • Reducing The Global Need For Nitrogen Fertilizers
  • Food-Crop Yields In Future Greenhouse-Gas Conditions Lower Than Expected

  • Toyota To Expand Hybrid Car Range In US
  • Ford First To Offer Clean-Burning Hydrogen Vehicles
  • Smart Cars To Rule The Roads
  • Nano Replacement For Petroleum

  • Boeing Puts Aircraft Market At 2.6 Trillion Dollars
  • Innovative Solutions Make Transportation Systems Safer Secure and Efficient
  • Joint Strike Fighter Is Not Flawed Finds Australian Government
  • Globemaster Airdrops Falcon Small Launch Vehicle

  • Could NASA Get To Pluto Faster? Space Expert Says Yes - By Thinking Nuclear
  • NASA plans to send new robot to Jupiter
  • Los Alamos Hopes To Lead New Era Of Nuclear Space Tranportion With Jovian Mission
  • Boeing Selects Leader for Nuclear Space Systems Program

  • The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2006 - SpaceDaily.AFP and UPI Wire Stories are copyright Agence France-Presse and United Press International. ESA PortalReports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additionalcopyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by SpaceDaily on any Web page published or hosted by SpaceDaily. Privacy Statement