Cyprus was the first European country that formally expressed its support to the candidacy of Ban Ki-moon for a second five-year term as Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Cyprus participates in the Asian group of the United Nations that unanimously backed UN Secretary Candidacy on Monday. As Ban comes from the Asian group, he informed early in the morning the countries of the group about his candidacy.

In an intervention, Cyprus Permanent Representative to the UN Minas Hadjimichael said he is happy to be the first representative of a European country stating support to the nomination of UN Secretary-General.

Ban Ki-moon announced Monday his candidacy for a second term during a press conference, at the UN Headquarters. “I would be deeply honored to serve once more,“ Ban said. The UN Security Council will be asked to decide on the candidacy of the Secretary General by the end of the month, while General Assembly will vote after September.