Alatas named special envoy to promote UN reform

Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan appointed noted Indonesian diplomat and former foreign minister Ali Alatas on Tuesday as a special envoy to promote the much-debated UN reforms prior to the General Assembly summit in September.

Annan also named as his envoys Irish Foreign Minister Dermot Ahern, Mozambique's former president Joaquin Chissano and former president of Mexico Ernesto Zedillo to help advance his reforms.

"The envoys will help the Secretary-General promote the bold but achievable agenda put forward in his report," the UN Information Center said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

The center was referring to Annan's report on UN reforms titled "In larger Freedom: Toward Development, Security and Human Rights for All.

"All four have vast political experience, profound knowledge of international relations, are committed to the cause of the United Nations and are expected to travel around the world and engage political leaders, civil society representatives, academics and the media," it said.

"They will also present the broad package of proposals and seek support for decisions that need to be taken by heads of state and government at their September summit," it said.

The summit will take place in New York from Sept. 14 to Sept. 16.

Meanwhile, Sudjadnan Parnohadiningrat, the secretary-general of the ministry of foreign affairs, welcomed the appointment of Alatas, a former foreign minister.

"It shows that we (Indonesia) can play an important role on the international arena," he said.

Indonesia, which is also seeking a permanent seat on the reformed UN Security Council, currently holds a number of strategic posts in international organizations.

Indonesia's ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Makarim Wibisono, is chairman of the UN's Human Rights Commission through 2005.

Sudjadnan himself will lead a special Committee on Nuclear Disarmament during the Non Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference to be held New York in May.