BEIJING, April 15 -- China has backed a move to choose the next UN secretary-general from an Asian country.

    During Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's visit to Sri Lanka, the two countries signed a joint communiqu¨¦.

    The document says the two parties believe the position of UN secretary-general should be taken by an Asian.

    Zheng Qirong, an expert from China Foreign Affairs University, says there's an unwritten principle that the post of UN secretary-general will rotate through the different continents.

    "Since U Thant from Myanmar assumed the UN secretary-general from 1962 to 1971 an Asian hasn't had the opportunity to take up the job," said Zheng. "Therefore, the public opinion holds that the United Nations should be put under the leadership of an Asian this time."

    The tenure of office for Kofi Annan, UN secretary-general will end in 2006.

    Annan has unequivocally said that he won't seek a third term of office as the UN secretary-general.

    According to general practice, the UN secretary-general is not selected from the five permanent member countries of the UN Security Council.

    Zheng Qirong says talent, loyalty and efficiency are the basic requirements for the position.

    "The most important task of the UN is to coordinate the acts of different countries. So the next UN secretary-general must be fair, neutral and maintain good relations with different parties," he said. 

    Thai foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai has the support of the 10 ASEAN countries for the position.

    Meanwhile, India, Iran and other Asian countries have also proposed their own candidates.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)