1976 United Nations Secretary-General selection Echeverría. China voted for Echeverría and cast a symbolic veto against Waldheim to demonstrate its support for a Third World candidate. The Soviet Union voted against Echeverría, and the other three permanent members abstained. The Security Council immediately conducted a second round of voting. China dropped its veto and voted for Waldheim, giving him a winning tally of 14-0-1. Echeverría received only 3 votes in favor. As a result, Kurt Waldheim was selected Secretary-General for a second five-year term beginning on 1 January 1977. 1976 United Nations Secretary-General selection A United Nations Secretary-General selection was held in 1976 at the
United Nations Secretary-General selection plan to bypass the Security Council by having the General Assembly President carry out the duties of Secretary-General. After a week of negotiation, the Soviet Union and the United States agreed on U Thant of Burma to take over Hammarskjöld's role. However, the two superpowers deadlocked for four weeks on how many Assistant Secretaries-General there would be, with the United States insisting on five, and the Soviet Union proposing three, four, six, or seven. The deadlock was finally broken when the superpowers agreed to let Thant decide for himself. Thant was unanimously selected Acting Secretary-General for the remainder of Hammarskjöld's