HALC urges US to block Feridun Sinirlioglu's UN Secretary-General candidacy

The Hellenic American Leadership Council (HALC) has officially requested the United States government to oppose the candidacy of Turkish diplomat Feridun Sinirlioglu for the position of United Nations Secretary-General. In a formal letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz, the organization urged Washington to publicly reject his bid and exercise a veto in the Security Council if necessary.

This move follows Sinirlioglu's appearance before the UN General Assembly on November 6, where he faced inquiries from Cyprus, Greece, and Israel. HALC argues that the diplomat’s performance and his previous positions raise significant concerns regarding his independence and credibility. Specifically, critics highlight his refusal to explicitly recognize the sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus or commit to the implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions during his testimony.

Sinirlioglu, who currently serves as Secretary-General of the OSCE and is a former Turkish Foreign Minister, was officially nominated by Ankara on November 1 to succeed Antonio Guterres, whose term concludes on December 31. The organization maintains that the U.S. must stand by its commitments to the territorial integrity of Cyprus, casting doubt on whether Sinirlioglu can act as a neutral arbiter in international disputes.