Pacific countries select new chief diplomat after fractious vote

FILE PHOTO: Prime Minister of the Cook Islands Henry Puna speaks at the opening of The Ocean Conference at the United Nations in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S. June 5, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri/File Photo

CANBERRA (Reuters) - A former Cook Islands prime minister was on Thursday named the new Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum after marathon talks that threaten to fracture the grouping that promotes regional peace, harmony and security.

Henry Puna was named after talks stretched for more than 12 hours. He eventually defeated Gerald Zackious, the Marshall Islands ambassador to the United States, by nine votes to eight.