* Vike-Freiberga, 68, is the first woman and first non-Asian to be formally nominated for the post. She was nominated by three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, asserting that she has shown the capacity to inspire a nation and hence is suitable for the post.
Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga has joined the race for the post of the next UN Secretary-General, taking the number of contestants to six including Indian nominee Shashi Tharoor.
Vike-Freiberga, 68, is the first woman and first non-Asian to be formally nominated for the post. She was nominated by three Baltic States of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, asserting that she has shown the capacity to inspire a nation and hence is suitable for the post.
They sent an official letter to UN Security Council President, Adamantios Vassilakis of Greece, to put her in the race, Council diplomats said.
Her name would be in the next straw poll on Septembder 28. Diplomats expected the final decision to be taken some time in October but were not betting on the date. They also indicated the possibility of another straw poll after the September 28 exercise as a few more candidates might come in.
If elected, Vike-Freiberga would be the first woman Secretary-General in the 60-year history of the world body. Recently, there had been demands that the Council consider a woman for the post to highlight that it is not a male preserve.
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