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），联合国公开下任秘书长选举过程，迈出历史性的一步。在此之前，这一事项一直都是秘密进行，从未对外公布。公开选举中，各国降有机会就以下事宜对候选人进行提问。如：他们将如何抵抗各大强国压力？怎样处理联合国维和人员实施性虐待问题？又将如何加强维护世界和平？

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.

八位候选人中，黑山共和国外交部部长艾格·卢克西奇，率先向联合国委员会列举了本国种族多元化，文化多样性的特色。为竞选联合国最高外交职位，他还说明自己曾担任黑山共和国前国家总理及国防部长。随后，联合国教科文组织总干事伊琳娜·博科娃及联合国前任难民署首席安东尼奥·古特雷斯也都各自作了介绍。

General Assembly President Mogens Lykketoft called it "a historic moment ... without precedent at the United Nations."

联合国委员会主席莫根斯·吕克托夫特说：“这是历史性的一刻……在联合国史无前例。”

"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."

吕克托夫特说：“联合国现在要应对多重危机，而且还要处理好这个组织本身的根本性问题，即，扮演什么角色？要履行什么责任？因此，寻找一位最佳候选人接任潘基文（联合国第八任秘书长）的职务绝对是至关重要的。”吕克托夫特说，“这是联合国成立70年来，首次在透明和包容的原则下，遴选下任联合国秘书长。”

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《联合国宪章》规定，秘书长先由安理会（由15名成员组成）推荐，再由委员会（由193名成员组成）选举产生。

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.

实际上，美国、俄罗斯、中国、英国和法国这五个安理会常任理事国对候选人具有否决权。但这并不影响安理会推荐的接任潘基文职位人员名单。至2016年12月31日，潘基文为期五年的秘书长第二任期职业生涯就结束了。

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，吕克托夫特于告诉委员会说，他认为，这种一问一答的面试形式将会颠覆选举规则，成为联合国的转折点。面试将持续到周四。

"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."

“如果很多国家都支持某一位候选人，我相信联合国不会有什么异议。”吕克托夫特说，“但若没有最佳人选，将由安理会做最后定夺。”

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.

按照惯例，秘书长职务由各地区人员轮流担任。亚洲，非洲，拉丁美洲及欧洲均已有人担任过这一联合国最高职位。包括俄罗斯在内的东欧国家纷纷抗议，表示该地区从未有人担任过该职务，现在该轮到他们了。因为从未有女性担任秘书长，还有56个国家在倡议要选出首位联合国女秘书长。

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，该职位共有男女各四名候选者——六名来自东欧，一名来自西欧，还有一名来自亚太地区。