Paris, Sep 18 (DPA) Controversial Egyptian Culture Minister Farouk Hosny failed to get the necessary majority late Thursday in the first round of voting to find a successor to outgoing Unesco director general Koichiro Matsuura.

According to diplomats close to Unesco, the 71-year-old Hosny received 22 votes from the 58 members of the organisation's executive council, well short of a majority.

In the run-up to the vote, Hosny and many observers had credited him with as many as 32 votes, enough to be elected to the post.

However, according to sources close to Unesco and foreign diplomats, the United States has been waging an undercover campaign against his candidacy.