1981 United Nations Secretary-General selection again run for a third term. China became the enforcer of regional rotation, announcing which regional group it would support in each selection. Contrary to expectations, Europe was not excluded from the rotation. After 35 years of U.N. Secretaries-General from the Third World, the 2016 selection was won by António Guterres of Portugal, who became the first European Secretary-General since Kurt Waldheim. As Javier Pérez de Cuéllar's first term came to a close in 1986, the United Nations faced mounting financial difficulties. After the United States Congress cut the U.S. contribution to the U.N., Pérez said that he would only
1961 United Nations Secretary-General selection would have joined as co-sponsors, and the Soviet Union did not accept the participation of Nationalist China. The General Assembly voted that afternoon by secret ballot to accept the Security Council's recommendation. In a unanimous vote of 103-0-0, the General Assembly appointed U Thant as Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations for a term ending on 10 April 1963. U.S. Ambassador Adlai Stevenson announced in May 1962 that he would vote for Thant's re-election. Thant subsequently played a major role in resolving the Cuban Missile Crisis in October 1962. A second term was assured when Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev made