Colombo, Oct 09: Sri Lanka's cabinet has formally nominated Foreign Minister Tyronne Fernando as a candidate to replace UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, a government spokesman said today. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe nominated Fernando, an Oxford-educated barrister, to run for the top United Nations job, which is expected to be open by 2007, the spokesman said.
"Sri Lanka believes that it has a good chance of securing the position because geographically it appears to be a turn for a candidate from Asia," the spokesman said.

Bureau Report