UN/LATVIA/FILE: Latvian leader would like to end "all boys" club at the helm of the U.N.

As Kofi Annan, the secretary general of the United Nations prepares to stand down from his position at the end of December, the race is on to find his replacement. One of the leading candidates is the Latvian President, Vaira Vike-Freiberga. But her battle will be an uphill one. There has never been a female secretary-general, or one from Central and Eastern Europe. Speaking recently at the UN General Assembly, Vike-Freiberga said her candidacy should serve as a symbol of women's struggle against the "all boys" club that chooses the world's top diplomat. A former psychology professor who has been in office for seven years, the Latvian president believes women often shy away from senior posts after watching men make deals years in advance. "While women represent half of the world's population, no woman has ever been at the helm of this organization. I believe that the time has come for a woman to be considered a serious candidate for the position of Secretary-General," Vike-Freiberga said. She also said she felt her region had proven it was ready for such commitments. "It so happens that as a result of historical events in the twentieth century, the Secretary-General of the U.N. has never come from Eastern Europe. Yet this region has a wealth of experience to share about its ability to effect radical changes and to achieve progress in the remarkably brief period of time," she said. Highlights from Vike-Freiberga's political career so far include, NATO and European Union membership. She has also been at her country's helm during the improving of relations with Russia and the creating strong bonds with the US. The Security Council is moving quickly to select a successor to Annan. Vike-Freiberga announced her candidacy on September 15, saying she was not deterred by anticipated opposition from Russia and China. China wants an Asian candidate and Russia has had frosty relations with the Baltic states since the break up of the Soviet Union in 1991. Both nations have veto power in the 15-seat Security Council that selects the person for the position. The 192-member General Assembly then has to approve the choice. Vike-Freiberga's has strong competition. South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon has received the most support from Security Council members. The other candidates are Shashi Tharoor an Indian novelist and the U.N. undersecretary-general for public information, Surakiart Sathirathai, Thailand's deputy prime minister, Jordan's U.N. ambassador, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein and Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri Lanka, a former U.N. undersecretary-general for disarmament. Many have called for a Secretary-General from Asia, but the United States and Britain have said that nationality should not stand in the way of choosing the best candidate. During her presidency Vike-Freiberga has worked for better integrating Latva into Europe and the West. She has succeeded in creating strong ties to the US government. US president George W. Bush honoured the Baltic states for their fight and success in achieving democracy during his 2005 visit. "So you rank very high as far as I'm concerned as participants in the freedom movement. The ability to inspire by example and lend expertise because of the experience you've had," said Bush. Vike-Freiberga has also fought for and achieved NATO and EU membership. "For Latvia this is putting the final full stop to the sequels of the second world war, and wiping out for ever the divisions on the map of Europe that the odious Molotov/Ribbentrop pact of 1939 had placed there," Vike-Freiberga said at the vote for EU referendum in 2003. Latvia's strained relationship with Russia has also been an issue on Vike-Freiberga's agenda. In August 2006 she awarded former Russian President Boris Yeltsin the 'Three Stars Order', for recognising Latvia's independence in 1991. The order of the Three Stars is the highest Latvian state award. The campaigning for votes has been intense, with nominees speaking at various forums in New York and travelling around the globe to secure the post of the world's top diplomat.

ITN Source | September 29, 2006

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