Bulgaria's Bokova, Serbia's Jeremić Tied in 3rd UN Straw Poll
UNESCO head Irina Bokova and former Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremić have both gained the third-best result in a straw poll held by the UN Security Council on Monday.
The third such vote is part of the procedure that will determine the security council's nomination for a successor to Ban Ki-moon as head of the United Nations.
Bokova and Jeremić both received seven votes in favour, five against, and three "no opinion", Reuters quotes UN diplomats as saying.
Former Portuguese Prime Minister António Guterres was first in the New York vote, with 11 "encourage" ballots, three "discourage", and one "no opinion".
Votes will be held by the fifteen UNSC countries until none of the ten candidates currently vying has a "discourage" vote. The five permanent members have veto powers.
Bokova came fifth in the previous straw poll, after having been third in the first one held this summer.