/ world today news/ Attempts to influence the countries in the promotion of their candidate for the post of UN Secretary General are unacceptable. The information in the Bulgarian press that Russia can support such actions is a lie.
This was stated by the spokeswoman of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova, answering a question from TASS regarding reports in the Bulgarian media that Chancellor Angela Merkel persuaded Russian President Vladimir Putin to support as a candidate from Bulgaria for the post of UN Secretary General Kristalina Georgieva instead of the appointed -early from Sofia Irina Bokova.
“Recently, during the G-20 meeting in Hangzhou, the German chancellor tried to talk to Russian leaders about possible Russian support for another side candidate from Bulgaria, rather than the officially nominated one,” Zakharova said. “But Mrs. Merkel was told clearly and categorically that the nomination of a candidate for the post of UN Secretary General by a country is an exclusive and solely sovereign decision of that country, and any attempt to directly or indirectly influence such a decision is unacceptable.” she added.
“We have seen these publications in the Bulgarian press that Russia is allegedly involved in such games to change the candidates, and the Bulgarian government is planning to change its decision and re-appoint a candidate under the pressure of some external players. This cannot be determined by other way than as an attempt to involve our country in some behind-the-scenes games,” emphasized the spokesperson of the Russian Foreign Ministry.
Irina Bokova, who currently heads UNESCO, was appointed on February 11, 2016 to the post of UN Secretary-General by the Permanent Mission of Bulgaria to the UN.
The post of Secretary General of the United Nations, which has been occupied by the South Korean Ban Ki-moon since 2007, will become vacant from January 1. According to the existing rules for the appointment, the applicant for this post must collect 9 votes in favor, including all five permanent members of the UN Security Council. The candidate’s name will then be submitted to the UN General Assembly for approval. /TASS
Moscow / Russia
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