Inner City Press -- Investigative Reporting From the Inner City to Wall Street to the United Nations

At UN Seeking 2d Term, Ban Speaks Behind Closed Doors, Complaints of P5 Power

By Matthew Russell Lee

UNITED NATIONS, June 9 -- With the full court press on at the UN for Ban Ki-moon to be given a second term as Secretary General without any other candidates or debate, Ban has met with the regional groups in lieu, it seems, of giving an open speech to the General Assembly.

  An African Group member's Permanent Representative complained to Inner City Press on June 9 that “at the time we need a strong man, the big powers want a weak one.” He pointed back to Ban not filling the Special Adviser on Africa position and questioned Ban's commitment to the continent.

  Inner City Press pointed out the talk that the top job in the Department of Political Affairs, currently occupied by American Lynn Pascoe, may be given to an African, Haile Menkerios, when he returns from the UN Mission in Sudan.

  “Not all African states are fans of Menkerios,” the Permanent Representative said. “Though the Westerners, sure, they like him.”

  Earlier on June 9, Inner City Press asked Ban's spokesman Martin Nesirky about Ban's meeting with another group, that of Latin American and Caribbean States, GRULAC:

Inner City Press: maybe you will confirm it or not, I’d heard that five members of the GRULAC [Group of Latin American and Caribbean States] said that they still need to get instructions from their capitals. Is that, is it, I guess I am asking you, is that your understanding of that meeting or can you give some, what’s your readout, what’s the Secretary-General’s readout of that meeting with GRULAC?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, all of these meetings with the regional groups were at the suggestion of the Secretary-General, as a way for him to speak to them directly and underscore what he said sitting right here on Monday. That it is for the Member States to decide; and that he is humbly putting himself forward and it is for the Member States to decide. He was obviously there to speak to them, but very much in listening mode, to hear what they had to say in those five regional groups. He has had meetings with other groupings; different formats, if you like. Obviously those five groups cover the 192 Member States. But there are other groups; for example, the Forum of Small States. The Secretary-General was able to meet with them as a group. He had a lunch with the permanent representatives of the European Union in a pre-arranged meeting.

Ban & Nambiar, implementation of 5 year term limits not shown

 So this was simply a way to be able to listen to what they had to say. And, ultimately, it really is for the Member States to decide. And it is also for Member States to say whether they have instructions or do not have instructions, and not for me.

But what I can say is that the Secretary-General found all of these regional group meetings and the other meetings he has been having extremely helpful and rewarding, in the sense that he was able to speak to them, but, importantly, to hear from them. And that’s what it is all about. Okay?

Inner City Press: Does he expect to give some kind of a speech in the General Assembly, kind of a public speech? There is, I have heard from some Member States that, I mean, obviously they have to… there is a longer process of trying to reform the process, but the idea of sort of, not campaigning, but sort of making a more public… those were closed meetings… apart from that, is he thinking of doing that?

Spokesperson Nesirky: Well, how much more public does the Secretary-General need to be than announcing it, sitting right here? And he also then spoke, as I just mentioned and you did, too, to the regional groups.

  So apparently Ban does not want to give a speech in the General Assembly, which many member states have said should be required. They are also talking about a resolution to require the Security Council to present the General Assembly with more than one candidate. Some close to Ban have worked to oppose or at least slow down this proposal. Meanwhile Ban set sail on a trip south to Latin America. Watch this site.

* * *