Key facts
- Sinirlioglu said a secretary-general should be ready to mediate even between parties at war, acting as a trusted and impartial intermediary.
- He said such mediation should work through quiet diplomacy to help parties reach compromises.
- He cited his diplomatic experience and his OSCE role as grounds for handling complex geopolitical challenges at the UN.
- South Korea's representative raised the Korean Peninsula in a question at the New York session.
Feridun Sinirlioglu, a Turkish diplomat who is secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, is a candidate for the next United Nations secretary-general. He spoke during a dialogue with UN member states in New York on November 6, 2026, according to Yonhap.
Asked by South Korea's representative how he would keep longstanding security issues, including those involving the Korean Peninsula, on the UN agenda and help prevent tensions from escalating, Sinirlioglu said: "Of course, mediation is the most important role of a Secretary General."
He stressed the need to bring conflicting parties together and help bridge their differences. He said a secretary-general should be prepared to mediate even between parties at war, acting as a trusted and impartial intermediary through quiet diplomacy to help them reach compromises.
Sinirlioglu also pointed to his diplomatic experience and his OSCE role, expressing confidence that he could help the UN address complex geopolitical challenges.