Delhi nominates Tharoor for top UN post

Capping weeks of speculation, the Indian External Affairs Ministry on Thursday evening announced the candidature of 50-year-old Tharoor, an eminent writer and academician with nearly three decades of experience of working with the UN.

If elected, Tharoor, currently the UN Under Secretary General for Communication and Public Information, will be the youngest UN Secretary General and the second Asian after U Thant to occupy the prestigious post.

"India's nomination of Tharoor for the post is based on the UN's commitment to the rotational principle under which the next Secretary General should be from Asia", Indian External Affairs Ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna told reporters.

Having backed the candidature of Tharoor, who was born in London and educated in India and the United States, India is now in touch with other countries to drum up international support, Sarna said.

"We have taken up the issue of seeking support for the candidature of Mr Tharoor through diplomatic channels with all member-countries of the United Nations and our missions are actively seeking such support", he said.

Others from Asia already in the race for the top UN post are Jayantha Dhanapala, a seasoned diplomat and adviser to Sri Lankan President, Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai and South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon.

"Mr Tharoor's internationally acclaimed stature and experience make him eminently suitable to become the next Secretary General of the United Nations," Sarna said adding India believes that the next UN chief should have a strong commitment to UN reforms, have impeccable credentials and be acceptable to a majority of the countries.

"India is a founder-member of the UN and we have consistently and significantly contributed to all aspects of its functions. India is strongly committed to comprehensive reforms of the UN and believes that the reforms and the expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories is central to the process of UN reforms", the spokesman said.