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The United Nations took a historic step Tuesday to open up the usually secret process of selecting the next secretary-general, giving all countries the chance to question candidates on such issues as how they would resist pressure from powerful nations, tackle sex abuse by UN peacekeepers, and improve efforts to achieve peace.
本周二（4月12日），聯合國公開下任秘書長選舉過程，邁出歷史性的一步。在此之前，這一事項一直都是秘密進行，從未對外公布。公開選舉中，各國降有機會就以下事宜對候選人進行提問。如：他們將如何抵抗各大強國壓力？怎樣處理聯合國維和人員實施性虐待問題？又將如何加強維護世界和平？
Montenegro's Foreign Minister Igor Luksic was the first of eight candidates to face members of the UN General Assembly, citing his small Balkan nation's multiethnic and multicultural diversity as well as his experience as a former prime minister and defense minister in seeking the UN's top diplomatic post. UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and former UN refugee chief Antonio Guterres followed.
八位候選人中，黑山共和國外交部部長艾格·盧克西奇，率先向聯合國委員會列舉了本國種族多元化，文化多樣性的特色。為競選聯合國最高外交職位，他還說明自己曾擔任黑山共和國前國家總理及國防部長。隨后，聯合國教科文組織總干事伊琳娜·博科娃及聯合國前任難民署首席安東尼奧·古特雷斯也都各自作了介紹。
General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft called it "a historic moment ... without precedent at the United Nations."
聯合國委員會主席莫根斯·呂克托夫特說：“這是歷史性的一刻……在聯合國史無前例。”
"As the United Nations grapples with multiple crises and the organization deals with some fundamental questions regarding its own role and performance, finding the best possible candidates to succeed Ban Ki-moon is absolutely crucial," Lykketoft said. "For the first time since this organization started 70 years ago, the process for selecting and appointing the next secretary-general is being generally guided by the principles of transparency and inclusivity."
呂克托夫特說：“聯合國現在要應對多重危機，而且還要處理好這個組織本身的根本性問題，即，扮演什么角色？要履行什么責任？因此，尋找一位最佳候選人接任潘基文（聯合國第八任秘書長）的職務絕對是至關重要的。”呂克托夫特說，“這是聯合國成立70年來，首次在透明和包容的原則下，遴選下任聯合國秘書長。”
Under the UN Charter, the secretary-general is chosen by the 193-member General Assembly on the recommendation of the 15-member Security Council.
按照《聯合國憲章》規定，秘書長先由安理會（由15名成員組成）推薦，再由委員會（由193名成員組成）選舉產生。
In practice, this has meant that the council's five permanent members—the US, Russia, China, Britain and France—have veto power over the candidates. That will not change in deciding whom to recommend to succeed Ban, whose second five-year term ends on Dec. 31.
實際上，美國、俄羅斯、中國、英國和法國這五個安理會常任理事國對候選人具有否決權。但這并不影響安理會推薦的接任潘基文職位人員名單。至2016年12月31日，潘基文為期五年的秘書長第二任期職業生涯就結束了。
But Lykketoft told the assembly Tuesday that he views the question-and-answer sessions, which will continue through Thursday, "as a potential game-changer for the United Nations."
然而，呂克托夫特于告訴委員會說，他認為，這種一問一答的面試形式將會顛覆選舉規則，成為聯合國的轉折點。面試將持續到周四。
"If there is a critical mass of countries supporting one single candidate, I don't think the Security Council will be coming up with quite a different name," he said. But "if there are many, many candidates and no clear favorite, it could very well be that the absolute final word will be from the Security Council."
“如果很多國家都支持某一位候選人，我相信聯合國不會有什么異議。”呂克托夫特說，“但若沒有最佳人選，將由安理會做最后定奪。”
By tradition, the job of secretary-general has rotated among regions and Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe have all held the top UN post. East European nations, including Russia, argue that they have never had a secretary-general and it is their turn. There has also never been a woman secretary-general and a group of 56 nations are campaigning for the first female UN chief.
按照慣例，秘書長職務由各地區人員輪流擔任。亞洲，非洲，拉丁美洲及歐洲均已有人擔任過這一聯合國最高職位。包括俄羅斯在內的東歐國家紛紛抗議，表示該地區從未有人擔任過該職務，現在該輪到他們了。因為從未有女性擔任秘書長，還有56個國家在倡議要選出首位聯合國女秘書長。
There are currently four women and four men who have thrown their hats in the ring—six from Eastern Europe, one from Western Europe and one from the Asia-Pacific region.
目前，該職位共有男女各四名候選者——六名來自東歐，一名來自西歐，還有一名來自亞太地區。
