In brief
In a statement at the UN headquarters, Feridun Sinirlioglu pledged that he would support every genuine effort toward a negotiated settlement in Ukraine. He said the UN’s role is to create conditions for peace and that the Secretary‑General’s good offices should remain open to all parties. The nomination comes as Turkey’s candidate joins seven other contenders for the post as Guterres’s term ends on December 31.
On July 17 2014, former Turkish foreign minister Feridun Sinirlioglu declared, as reported by TASS, that he would back all genuine efforts toward a negotiated and just settlement of the Ukraine conflict if elected the next United Nations Secretary‑General. The announcement comes as Turkey’s nomination for the post was announced in late October, placing the candidate in a field that also includes seven other contenders. Guterres’s term is set to end on December 31, after which the election will be held.
Feridun Sinirlioglu said:
The UN's responsibility is to help create the conditions for peace. The secretary general's good offices should remain available to all parties, with the aim of keeping channels of communication open and building confidence step by step. I would work to strengthen the UN's role as a platform for dialogue. My aim would be to support every genuine effort toward a negotiated and just settlement to end the war in Ukraine.
In addition to his remarks, Sinirlioglu noted his current role as Secretary General of the OSCE, which has him dealing daily with the Ukraine war, a challenge he considers among the most serious facing the international community today. He also highlighted the importance of the UN as a forum for negotiations and his readiness to keep communication channels open.
Other candidates in the race include Rafael Grossi of Argentina, Rebeca Grynspan of Costa Rica, Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces of Ecuador, Carolyn Rodrigues‑Birkett of Guyana, Ivonne Baki, Olara Otunnu, and Lana Zaki Nusseibeh of the UAE. The election is scheduled for the weeks following Guterres’s term end.
