New York, Oct. 3, SPA -- The UN Security Council will formally pick asuccessor for the UN's top job next Monday - choosing in alllikelihood South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon - the council'spresident said Tuesday according to dpa. Ban has come out on top in four informal votes by the 15-nationcouncil over who should succeed Secretary General Kofi Annan nextyear. In the latest vote Monday, the career diplomat received 14 votesin favour and one abstention, prompting the second place finisher,Undersecretary General Shashi Tharoor of India, to say he was pullingout of the race. Security Council president and Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshimasaid the council would take a "formal decision" Monday morning andcould make its recommendation to the General Assembly on the sameday. The assembly must approve any choice, though this is widelyconsidered a formality. Annan will step down on December 31 after a 10-year term.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/393977