Costa Rica's Grynspan narrowly leads informal UN chief poll, sources say

An informal poll by

the United Nations Security Council on Friday placed former

Costa Rican Vice President Rebeca Grynspan as the narrow

frontrunner in the race to become the 10th UN secretary-general,

two people close to the process said.



But there was no decisive winner as all candidates received

two or more opposing votes from the ultimately decisive five

permanent members of the council — Russia, China, the US, France

and Britain — opening the door for new candidates to join the

race, diplomats and observers said.



This was the sixth secret ballot organized by council

officials, who have less than three months to pick the successor

to UN boss Antonio Guterres, whose term ends on December 31.



Whoever wins will have to tackle multiple crises, including

several wars, cutbacks in American contributions to the UN, and

the 193-member body's declining political relevance as

Washington has pulled out of dozens of its agencies.