UNITED NATIONS, March 24 (UPI) -- The United Nations has released a short list of eight candidates to replace Ruud Lubbers as U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees.
Chief spokesman Fred Eckhard Thursday gave the list to reporters at U.N. World Headquarters in New York.
The top candidates were identified as Emma Bonino of Italy, a member of the European Parliament; Hans Dahlgren of Sweden, state secretary for foreign affairs; Gareth Evans of Australia, head of the Brussels-based International Crisis Group; former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres; Soren Jessen-Petersen of Denmark, head of the U.N. Kosovo mission; former French Health Minister Bernard Kouchner; Kamel Morjane of Tunisia, assistant high commissioner for refugees, and Mark Verwilghen of Belgium, minister of economy, energy, foreign trade and scientific politics.
Eckhard said the candidates would be called in by Annan in the following weeks for interviews.
He said announcement of the names was to encourage comment, part of U.N. reform, and transparency in choosing senior officials.
