BAN KI MOON TO FACE GHALI’S FATE?

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With more than two years to go before the expiry of his term, Ban Ki Moon has already started feeling the ‘Global jitters.’
The US thinks he lacks aggression while the Russians feel that he had undermined Russia’s interests in the UN. Moon’s moves in Georgia and his failure to appoint Russians to top slots in the world body had not at all gone well with the Russians.

It was only last month that Norwegian diplomat at the UN, Mona Juul called Moon a "spineless," "passive observer" for his role in Sri Lanka and Myanmar.

It is in this light that one should view the intensification of the UN engagement in Sri Lanka during the last couple of weeks. The latest, Moon’s emphasis on the contents of the letter he sent to Sri Lankan President through Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, Lynn Pascoe, is very much part of his campaign to win back the fading support of the US and Europe for his second term.

While the West, especially the US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton wants him to be more aggressive, the UN Secretary General had made it clear that one should not expect belligerent practices in international interventions from him, an Asian or an Easterner for that matter.

"We all have a different background, leadership styles. We must respect each other. I have my own leadership style, my own charisma," Moon said at a media briefing in Oslo immediately after Juul’s attack. And he represents a region which hosts 60 per cent of the world population. Already there are demands that the UN should shift its headquarters to Asia from New York in order to avoid the host nation’s undue interference in the affairs of the global body.

However, the incumbent Secretary General is fully aware that his explanation is not going to help him retain the votes that he needs to go for a second term.

The West can easily say, “Ok, fine, you go home, we’ll find some one who has our style of leadership.” They may also say that Moon has miserably failed in Sri Lanka, Somalia, Darfur, Pakistan and Zimbabwe and try to block his second term resorting to the same strategies adopted when they vetoed a second term for Boutros Boutros Ghali in 1996 over violence in Rwanda and the Balkans.

Meanwhile, there are strong rumours that the UNDP head and former New Zealand premier Helen Clark is being approached by many to get her to run for the top job at the 2011 election. A three time New Zealand prime minister Clark was considered a strong contender even at the 2006 UN Secretary General 2006 race though she refused a nomination claiming she lacked experience in the UN system.

Russia, though hurt by the UN handling of Georgia had not had been critical of Moon lately. China on the other hand has been the strongest supporter of the Secretary General.

It would be interesting to see how Moon conducts himself in the run up to the polls – delivering the Western demands in the Eastern style.