UNITED NATIONS - Amid all the speeches over urgent issues of war, refugees and climate change, one of the great uncertainties hanging over delegates to the United Nations is who will be the next secretary general.
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s term expires at the end of the year, and no clear consensus has emerged on his successor. Straw votes among member states have winnowed the field to nine official candidates, including four women. But any of the five permanent members of the Security Council – China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States – could veto the candidate with the most support, for any reason.
