Turkey May Nominate OSCE Chief for UN Secretary-General
Translated & summarized from Israel Hayom by baba
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Turkey may nominate OSCE chief Feridun Sinirlioğlu for UN Secretary-General.
- The UN Secretary-General race is currently deadlocked after multiple straw polls.
- Sinirlioğlu has a varied diplomatic past, including serving as Turkey's envoy to the UN.
- He has made strong criticisms of Israel in the past.
- He has also recently spoken out against antisemitism.
- Sinirlioğlu could face a veto from a permanent Security Council member.
Turkey is reportedly considering nominating Feridun Sinirlioğlu, the current Secretary General of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), as a last-minute candidate for the next UN Secretary-General. The move comes amid a deadlock in the race, with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan promoting Sinirlioğlu as a compromise candidate if no agreement is reached on existing contenders. An informed source suggested Sinirlioğlu could secure support from four of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council.
The stalemate follows inconclusive straw polls, with the fourth poll held on September 29th still failing to determine a clear frontrunner. Rebekah Greenspan of Costa Rica, described as having a complex stance towards Israel, strengthened her position with ten "encourage" votes. Caroline Rodrigues-Birch of Guyana received eight "encourage" votes, while Rafael Grossi of Argentina improved his standing to eight "encourage" votes. Michelle Bachelet withdrew from the race on September 20th, leaving seven official candidates.
Sinirlioğlu has a significant diplomatic background, having served as Turkey's Ambassador to the UN from 2016 to 2023 and briefly as Foreign Minister in 2015. He was appointed UN Special Coordinator for Afghanistan in 2023 and became OSCE Secretary General in December 2024. The source also claimed Sinirlioğlu has ties to Turkish intelligence, though this is not officially confirmed.
His past statements regarding Israel have been critical. While serving as Turkey's UN envoy, he accused Israel's government of responsibility for the situation in Gaza in May 2021, called alleged harm to UNRWA schools a "war crime," and stated that the "occupation and apartheid regime must end." He also supported legal proceedings against Israel for alleged crimes in the occupied territories.
More recently, in February, as OSCE Secretary General, Sinirlioğlu addressed rising antisemitism, referencing the Holocaust and calling for concrete action against hate crimes. Despite potential support from four Security Council members, a veto from the fifth could still block his candidacy. Turkey's decision to formally present him would likely depend on whether the ongoing rounds clarify that no current candidate can achieve the necessary consensus.
Read the original at Israel Hayom