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The next UN chief must be able to patch up relations with US - Lankan candidate Dhanapala
Monday, 12 September 2005 - 3:29 AM SL Time
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The next U.N. chief must be a `hands-on manager` who can implement needed internal reforms and patch up relations with the United States, according to Lankan diplomat, Jayantha Dhanapala, who is the country`s candidate for the post next year.
Jayantha Dhanapala was ambassador to Washington and held a series of senior posts at the United Nations. He is now a senior adviser to the Sri Lankan president and hopes to succeed Secretary-General Kofi Annan when his second term ends in December 2006.
`It is not sufficient just to have a high profile for this job,` he said in an interview yesterday during a visit to Washington ahead of next week`s U.N. summit in New York.
`The decisions we expect on [U.N.] reform next week will have to be implemented by the next secretary-general. That person will have to be a hands-on manager, someone with the technocratic skills to know how the U.N. management works and how the reforms can be achieved.`
Mr. Dhanapala spent a decade at the United Nations, including five years as an undersecretary dealing with disarmament issues.
Under the informal rotation for the top U.N. job, an Asian candidate is widely expected to be named to succeed Mr. Annan, a native of Ghana.
Already, discreet politicking is under way in the region, with Thailand`s Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai the most active and visible contender. Mr. Surakiart has already picked up the endorsement of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, as well as a number of countries in the region.
Mr. Dhanapala said he has consciously avoided seeking his own endorsements, arguing the region should put forward a number of candidates for the Security Council and the leading U.N. powers to consider.
`It would be only fair to present the world with a choice of candidates,` he said.
`He acknowledged the oil-for-food scandal had exposed grave problems with the United Nations` internal oversight and management functions, and said the secretary-general had to be more than a glorified corporate chief executive officer.
The United Nations `is a complex political organization,` he said. `Its leaders must have not just managerial skills but administrative and political skills as well.`
Mr. Dhanapala said he would work to repair U.N. relations with the United States, which were badly frayed during the Iraq war.
`There is no question there is a symbiotic relationship between the U.N. and the world`s sole superpower,` he said.
`U.S. support for the U.N. is absolutely indispensable, but the U.N. can also be very important to the United States and can serve its national interests in multilateral situations.` (THE WASHINGTON TIMES)
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ajan
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Joined: Apr 2005
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12 Sep 2005 15:10:11 GMT Report for Abuse
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Danapala is a decent candidate , and he is fully capable of the UN job. to prove that he is capable he shoud work extra hard. one thing he need to understand is Tamils problems. so far he not shown leadership. or expressed understanding of tamil problems.
did he get credit for anythinh he done personally? what one man can do?? look at example on Mo Mollam in UK .
if he needs to get full backing of srilankan he need to act like a UN chief. (not taking side with singhala budhist)
Chandrika herself fancy that job. its been 10 year she been president , where did the country go? 25 years backwards. |
gyan
Joined: Apr 2005
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12 Sep 2005 21:47:48 GMT Report for Abuse
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Who this guy?
Never 'eard of 'im!
I put my money on good old Chandrika! |
nirupam
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13 Sep 2005 07:51:22 GMT Report for Abuse
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The candidate for the top job at UN must have a proven record of neutrality at least in his own country.
He shouldn't be one who knows the where about of the terrorist by the name of Karuna but claim he is in the jungles.
He must at least see to it that the country he represents comply with agreements and Conventions she signs nationally and internationally.
The CFA signed with a warring party nationally has been flouted.
Sri Lanka was the second country to sign the United Nation's Convention on the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism, which was opened for signature on January 10 2000 at the United Nations in New York. The Convention also requires state-parties to freeze and prevent access to such funds by groups supporting terrorist organisations, and also to prosecute or extradite persons found guilty of involvement in such activities for terrorist organisations, the Foreign Ministry said.
But Mr. Muralitharan (Karuna) is well known to have laundered 25m rupees and deposited in a Colombo bank and use it to terrorise academics, journalists, and his opponents are free at large. He is given save haven by the SL Army. |
nirupam
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13 Sep 2005 11:39:15 GMT Report for Abuse
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| Unfortunately there in only one candidate for UN top job from Sri Lanka, he is Mr.Danapala. |
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