Finnish President Tarja Halonen does not support Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga's candidacy for UN secretary-general, according to the Finnish daily Helsinging Sanomat.
The next UN secretary-general should be from Asia, Halonen was reported to have said.
Vike-Freiberga's gender did not make it necessary to support her
"Pushing forward a woman is linked to these other factors," Halonen said. "In other words I hope that there would be a geographical dimension, UN experience, and everything that has been called for here."