S Korean in competition with others for top UN post

Washington, June 1 (UNI) South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, describing himself as a ''harmoniser'' is the latest among the Asian diplomats vying to make a bid for the top United Nations post.

Ban, a candidate for UN secretary-general, said yesterday in New York that if he is selected to succeed Kofi Annan, he would work to narrow the divisions between nations, and heal the rift between the member states and the secretariat that is meant to serve their interests.

Kofi Annan leaves the office in December this year.

''Many assert that there is a crisis of confidence enveloping the UN between large and small powers, rich and poor countries, between member states and the Secretariat, between governments and civil society,'' he told a small meeting at the Council on Foreign Relations yesterday, calling for ''a greater sense of trust and common purpose.'' Ban, said he particularly was troubled by the inability of governments to grapple with two key items on the UN agenda: reforming the organisation and defeating terrorism.

He indicated that he supported Mr Annan's management-reform proposals, which were endorsed by Washington and major donors but defeated in an angry floor fight by an alliance of developing nations.

Ban, 62, is the third announced candidate from Asia, although there are at least a halfa-dozen more names frequently mentioned as possibilities to takeover from Kofi Annan.

Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, whose name bas been bandied about recently had some support among members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) but his constant campaigning also has discouraged some nations, according to the Washington Times here today.

Seasoned Sri Lankan diplomat Jayantha Dhanapala is another serious contestant for the position. He is the Sri Lankan government's former peace negotiator with rebel factions, who also served for five years as the UN undersecretary-general for disarmament. His reputation is building, but not so much in the Security Council, which holds primary responsibility for choosing the next secretary-general, the Times said.

Ban, who has served as Seoul's trade minister since 2004, also has significant UN experience. He worked in the UN office in Seoul 30 years ago, and also has served as a diplomat to the United Nations in New York and Vienna, Austria. He was also chief of staff to the president of the General Assembly in 2001, when South Korea held that office.

Despite all the hullabaloo made by the Asian wannabe candidates, the Bush administration has made it clear that it does not agree that Asia has the sole right to field the next candidate, and is looking to Eastern Europe and other precincts.

US officials have met with each of the candidates, but apparently are not impressed with the unofficial contestants. According to the Times report on Tuesday, Annan himself said that under the UN tradition to rotate top jobs among the regions, his successor should come from the 54-member Asian region, which, in fact, stretches from Lebanon to Fiji. ''I have no horse in this race, and may the best man win,'' he has remarked.

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