Clark not taking UN job stories seriously

Prime Minister Helen Clark says she is not taking seriously Time magazine naming her as a possible contender for the role of United Nations secretary general.

UN secretary general Kofi Annan steps down at the end of this year and there has been speculation about who will replace him.

A UN Security Council straw poll in July produced candidates from India, South Korea, Sri Lanka and Thailand, but none were seen as real contenders.

Another straw poll was due this month with Jordan's UN envoy Prince Zeid al-Hussein expected to declare.

"Other possible candidates are former Malaysian Deputy PM Anwar Ibrahim and two contenders to be the first female secretary-general: Singapore Ambassador to Washington Chan Heng Chee - said to be a US favourite - and New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark," Time magazine said.

Helen Clark today laughed off the report, pointing out the Malaysian candidate named by Time had "spent quite a lot of time in jail, so I don't take it that seriously".

Asked how she would feel about being approached, The PM said: "My feeling is that I am the luckiest person in New Zealand to have the job I have got... I am very happy in my job."

Time magazine said the unwritten rules about who could be named a candidate included that no candidate could come from one of the five nations with a permanent seat at the UN Security Council.

This ruled out candidates from the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China, it said.

To win the post, a candidate must have the backing of all five.

An unofficial system of regional rotation meant the next leader should come from Asia but rivalries between Japan and China meant a Japanese candidate would be a long shot, it said.

Helen Clark said last month that she had had no approach about the UN job.

She said at the time that an article floating the idea was a "piece of fiction".

"I have had no approach about that position, I have made no approach about that position, it is not on my mind, I have consistently said that the best job for me in the world right now is the one I have as Prime Minister of New Zealand."

- NZPA