Security Council straw poll of next UN chief set for July 21

The UN Security Council will hold the first of its three secret, non-binding straw polls on selection of the next UN secretary-general on July 21, the panel's president announced here Friday.

Ambassador Koro Bessho of Japan, who assumed the rotating Security Council president for July on Friday, announced the date during a briefing with reporters on the program of work for the panel during July. No dates were set for the second and third straw polls.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon will retire on Dec. 31 after serving two five-year terms and diplomats are working to make selection of his successor more transparent.

"There is an agreement that we would like to move the process along as expeditiously as possible so that we can have a decision at an early date which will make it possible for the chosen candidate to prepare to be the (next) secretary-general," Bessho said. "As far as the date for a second straw poll is concerned, it is not decided at this moment."