South Korea's Ban vows role in Mideast crisis

New York, Sept 26: South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, the front-runner to be the next United Nations secretary-general, said he would play a more visible role in the West Asia and other regional conflicts if elected.

Ban finished first in two informal straw polls of UN Security Council members in July and this month. The 15-member Council, which holds another poll this week, selects a candidate, who must be confirmed by the General Assembly.

Kofi Annan, a Ghanaian, steps down on December 31 after two five-year terms as the world body's leader.

''As a secretary-general, should I be elected, I will place the highest of priorities to address regional and global security issues,'' Ban told the Asia Society in New York yesterday.

''I intend to be more visibly engaged as a secretary-general in addressing regional conflict issues while trying to delegate a significant portion of my day-to-day management duties to the deputy secretary-general,'' he said.

''My intention to be more engaged in the Middle East and other regional issues.'' Ban said the peace and stability of the West Asia had great implications for global peace and security and that he was very concerned about the recent war between Israel and the Lebanon-based Hizbollah.

According to UN tradition, the next secretary-general should come from Asia, although the United States believes the race should be wide open.

REUTERS