Portugal's Guterres Still Leads Race To Be UN Chief: Diplomats

UNITED NATIONS, United States, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News -30th Augst,2016) : Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres is still the frontrunner to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations following a third straw poll held Monday, diplomats said.

Guterres, who served as UN refugee chief for 10 years, received 11 votes of encouragement, three "discourage" votes and one "no opinion" during the informal vote by the 15-member Security Council. It is the third time that the 67-year-old has taken the number one spot in the contest to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down on December 31 after 10 years as the world's top diplomat. During the first round, Guterres took the lead with 12 "encourage" votes and three "no opinion," but he picked up two "discourage" votes in the second straw poll, along with 11 encouragements and two "no opinion."