Kevin Rudd has shot down speculation another country was going to back him for a late run at the United Nations' top job.
The former Australian prime minister on Saturday said he was not a candidate for the soon-to-be vacant UN secretary-general position.
Mr Rudd's terse response came after New York-based Inner City Press stoked speculation when it reported he had "lined up a country other than Australia which could nominate him".
"The report is false," a spokesperson for Mr Rudd said.
"Mr Rudd has not approached any governments, other than Australia, to endorse him as a candidate for UN secretary-general."
Mr Rudd's hopes were dashed when Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull dismissed his lobbying to be Australia's candidate.
New Zealand's hope, former prime minister Helen Clark, has languished toward the bottom of the candidates and the field to replace current secretary-general Ban ki-Moon was shaken up last week when Bulgaria nominated and switched its backing to economist Kristalina Georgieva from director-general of UNESCO Irina Bokova.
Former Portuguese prime minister Antonio Guterres has been the frontrunner in the UN Security Council's straw polls.
"It should be noted in a Channel 7 news item on the 23rd September it was reported 'a leader of another country has told Malcolm Turnbull they might nominate Mr Rudd for the UN Secretary General's job, even if he won't'," Mr Rudd's spokesperson said.
"Mr Rudd has not agreed to any such proposal from another country.
"Mr Rudd is not a candidate for UN Secretary-General."
