NZ will not run straw polls for UN position

New Zealand will hand over its responsibilities to conduct straw polls for the United Nations secretary-general to Russia, during its presidency of the UN Security Council next month.

The move has been confirmed by New Zealand’s permanent representative on the Security Council, Gerard van Bohemen.

‘‘New Zealand has chosen to do this to counter any conflict-ofinterest perception issues, given that we also have a candidate.’’

Helen Clark is still in the race to become UN secretary-general, despite two worse-than-expected polling results in the first two informal ballots.

There will be a third ballot on August 29 and, depending on the result, a fourth could be held next month when New Zealand presides over the Security Council.

While New Zealand is not required to step aside for that process, van Bohemen said it was the appropriate thing to do and under UN procedure, Russia would take over the reins because they were next in line for the presidency in October. Russia’s permanent representative will oversee any balloting held in September.

Russia is also one of the permanent five members of the Security Council with the power to veto any candidate. Russia has not publicly expressed support for any of the 11 candidates but is thought by many to favour an Eastern European candidate in line with a conventional ‘‘rotation system’’ for the appointment.

If a poll occurs in September, and Clark is still in the race, Russia will conduct the poll and inform other permanent representatives of their candidates’ results.

However, New Zealand has not relinquished all its power over the process. Meetings related to the logistics and modalities of the straw poll process will still be presided over by van Bohemen.

The announcement comes as New Zealand has also confirmed significant parts of the agenda it intends to set while heading the Security Council.

The Security Council’s work programme for next month will include three ‘‘high level items’’ including aviation security relating to terrorism, nuclear nonproliferation relating to Iran and the centrepiece discussions will be on Syria – a protracted and contentious conflict that the council has so far failed to reach significant agreement on.

It is New Zealand’s second and final run as president of the Security Council, with a two-year term drawing to a close at the end of this year.