Tharoor bows out of race for UN top job

India's Shashi Tharoor today bowed out of the race for the post of UN Secretary-General after he lost the fourth straw poll to South Korean nominee Ban Ki-Moon. Ban is now almost certain to succeed Kofi Annan.

The 62-year-old South Korean foreign minister got 14 votes and one "no opinion," the only candidate without a veto.

His nearest rival Tharoor got 10 positive votes, two more than the last time and three against, one of which was a veto.

The final poll is set for October 9. There is still time for the introduction of new candidates but diplomats said it was unlikely as Ban enjoyed strong support among the 15 members of the Security Council.

Within an hour of the vote, Tharoor conceded victory to Ban and wished him success in the "huge responsibility" he would be undertaking.

"I entered the race because of my devotion to the United Nations and for same reason, I will strongly support him as the next Secretary-General. The UN and the world has a stake in his success," Tharoor said.