RI for renomination of Boutros-Ghali
RI for renomination of Boutros-Ghali
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will fight for the renomination of
Boutros Boutros-Ghali as the United Nations secretary-general
when it chairs the Security Council next month, Antara said
yesterday.
But Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told reporters at
the United Nations in New York on Wednesday that other council
members should prepare for the possibility that Boutros-Ghali's
renomination for a second term would be vetoed by the United
States.
"That could well happen, and we have to be realistic," said
Alatas on the sidelines of the General Assembly. "Other council
members must prepare for an alternative," he said.
Indonesia will stick to its decision to support Boutros-
Ghali's bid for a second five-year term, he said.
"If the U.S. uses its veto right, that's another question,"
said the minister, who met with Boutros-Ghali earlier this week.
Most of the 15 Security Council members have rebuffed the
United States' efforts to have the candidacy for the secretary-
general post discussed this month. They want to postpone the
discussion until after the U.S. presidential election early next
month.
Washington has indicated it does not want Boutros-Ghali, whose
term ends on Dec. 31, to remain at the UN's helm despite his
support from many countries including from Russia, China and
France. Washington has threatened to veto his reelection if he
runs for the post.
The United States blames the Egyptian diplomat for what it
claims is the slow pace of reform at the world body. The United
States has delayed paying more than $1.5 billion which it owes
the United Nations for this reason.
Indonesia, which assumes presidency of the council next month,
would play a crucial role in the election of the secretary-
general, Alatas said.
As president, Indonesia would try to accommodate the various
opinions in the council on the election, he said. Besides
informal meetings and lobbying, there would be a debate before
the election, he added.
According to UN regulations, the 15 members of the Security
Council must nominate a candidate for secretary-general who then
requires endorsement from the General Assembly.
AFP reported a U.S. official as saying yesterday that the U.S.
delegation had informed the council president for October,
Gerardo Martinez Blanco of Honduras, that in Washington's view,
the candidacy should be raised by the council this month.
But diplomats said that Blanco's bilateral meetings with other
members of the council on Tuesday and Wednesday had failed to
show consensus on discussion of the candidacy until after the
U.S. presidential election on Nov. 5. Besides the non-aligned
countries, permanent council members China, France and Russia are
opposed to an early discussion on the next UN chief.
But a fresh U.S. attempt to put the issue on the council
agenda this month could not be ruled out, diplomats said.
Honduras' five non-aligned partners in the council --
Botswana, Chile, Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and Indonesia -- were
angered by the distribution of a document concerning election
procedures, diplomats said. (emb)