UNSC supports UN chief Ban Ki-moon to serve second term at head of international body

The UN Security Council on Friday threw its support behind Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to serve a second term at the head of the international body.
  
The 15-member council unanimously adopted a resolution at a private meeting recommending that the UN General Assembly vote Ban for a new term. The 192-nation UN General Assembly is planning to formally re-elect the former South Korean foreign minister to the top UN job on Tuesday.

"The Security Council ... recommends to the General Assembly that Mr. Ban Ki-moon be appointed secretary-general of the United Nations for a second term of office from 1st January, 2012, to 31st December, 2016," said a resolution adopted by acclamation by the 15-nation council.

The council's decision was delayed for one day because one of the U.N. regional groups - Latin America and the Caribbean - had not agreed to endorse Ban.

Diplomats said the group had still not achieved consensus by Friday morning, but the council went ahead with its recommendation. Endorsement by regional groups is considered desirable but is not technically necessary.

Ban's re-election is a virtual certainty following the Security Council recommendation, which followed agreement by its five permanent members that they wanted him to continue in office. No other candidates have been proposed.