Three more pull out of UN leader race, leaving Ban

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 5 (Reuters) Three more candidates today withdrew from the race to become UN secretary-general, leaving only South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon to face an official UN Security Council vote next week.

Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga, the only woman and non-Asian candidate, and former Afghan Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani, both formally dropped out of the race in letters to the Security Council.

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont told reporters in Bangkok that Surakiart Sathirathai also had decided to pull out. Sathirathai had been deputy prime minister in the government of Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a September 19 military coup.

The 15 council members in an informal ballot on Monday gave South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon 14 favorable votes and one abstention in the competition to succeed Secretary-General Kofi Annan, whose term expires on Dec. 31.

Ghani said that he wanted to ''convey my best wishes to the chosen candidate for bringing vision, leadership and determination for dealing with the critical challenges ahead.'' A successful contender needs nine votes in favor and no veto from the 15-member body's permanent members -- the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China. Ban alone escaped a negative vote from any of the five in Monday's poll.

On Oct. 9, the council will vote formally and send Ban's name to the 192-member U.N. General Assembly, which is expected to approve him later this month.

Jordan's U.N. ambassador, Prince Zeid Ra'ad Zeid Al-Hussein, withdrew on Wednesday, while Shashi Tharoor of India, the U.N.

undersecretary-general for public information, pulled out shortly after Monday's informal vote.

Tharoor was in second place with 10 positive votes but had a veto from one of the five permanent members.

Zeid's candidacy produced a row between Jordan and Qatar, the only Arab member of the council. Jordan said Qatar had an agreement with Arab nations to vote for Zeid and admitted not doing so.

Council members had been able to vote for as many contenders as they pleased.

Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri Lanka, a former U.N. disarmament undersecretary-general, withdrew last week after a poor showing in the third informal poll.

REUTERS DKB KN2355