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G Chandrashekar in Washington
The fifty-member Asian group at the United Nations has extended its support to Kofi Annan's bid for a second term as secretary general.
Praising his leadership, a meeting of the group held at the UN said no candidate from the Asian region would be fielded against Annan.
The meeting expressed confidence that Annan would be re-elected, but a formal decision to support him could not be taken because the Malaysian representative wanted to consult his government, a diplomat who attended the meeting told reporters.
The secretary general's job is rotated every 10 years by region and it is Asia's turn to stake its claim next year. The last Asian to hold the post was U Thant of Burma from 1961 to 1971.
Africa's ten-year term was split when the US vetoed the candidature of Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt in the Security Council.
With no candidate emerging from Asia and the open backing of his candidature by US President George W Bush, Annan is all set to be re-elected. Annan's term expires in December this year.
UNI
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