UN Security Council begins process to select next Secretary-General to succeed Kofi Annan

AFP via Babelfish translation | July 24, 2006

[<1/1,000,000th%]

New York (the United Nations) - the Security Council of the United Nations was to hold Monday a first white vote on the four official candidates at the post of secretary-general of the Organization,...

I get to be first:

RACIST! RACIST!

But I thought Clinton had this thing sewn up (except for the war crimes indictment out of the International Court).

[mkjessup]

I second that! John Bolton!

[AmericanChef]

I think your rock might be too smart.

[DannyTN]

Poland's europe not asia, but why couldn't we have someone from Japan. These are the four?

• South Korean Minister for the Foreign Affairs, Ban Ki-moon,
• diplomat srilankais Jayantha Dhanapala,
• Prime Minister associated inhabitant of Thailand, Surakiart Sathirathai,
• associated secretary-general of UNO in charge of the Communication, the Indian Shashi Tharoor.

  Yikes! without knowing any of the personalities, just a feel for the countries, here's my take....

• S. Korea is an ally but too wishwashy.
• Sri Lanka is too associated with terrorism in my mind.
• Thailand might be acceptable. I doubt UN sex scandals would diminish.
• India, there would be no support for intellectual property rights, nor religious expression.

  My vote's for Thailand, I don't know why.

[AmericaUnited]

Not knowing anything about the four, I'd bet the South Korean would be the best bet.

[deport]

For some reason I thought that the Secretary General cannot come from a country that is a permanent member of the security council.

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Can you find that in the rules and regulations of the UN Charter?... This has been stated many times but I've asked and haven't been able to find it stated in the rules/regs of the UN Charter. Now the fact that each of the five Permanent Members has veto power would indicate that one wouldn't come from any of them based upon at least one of the five using their veto, if for no other reason than distrust.

It has been said their is a working arrangement/agreement or understanding that the Sec. Gen. won't come from one of the five, but I don't think that is in writing either.

[SFC Chromey]

I second that nomination! As one poster asked, "Does it matter who is the head crook in charge"? It would matter if John Bolton was a choice.

[ZULU]

He might be an improvement!!

He's totally nuts, but at least he isn't a crook!!

[ZULU]

"the Security Council of the United Nations was to hold Monday a first white vote "

Only whites get to vote???

[ZULU]

He can't vote ... he's the first "black President".

[Dilbert56]

It's gotta be

[Napoleon Solo]

There are so few "whites" in the UN that the vote should go quickly... and who cares anyway?

[Deo volente]

Bill Clinton might very well be interested, but I understand the Secretary General can not come from a nation that's a permanent member of the Security Council.

Is that correct?

[HAL9000]

Bill Clinton might very well be interested, but I understand the Secretary General can not come from a nation that's a permanent member of the Security Council.

We've researched that, and it's not correct. No such rule exists.

[Brit_Guy]

Don't confuse rules with conventions. The convention is that the Sec Gen DOESN'T come from a permanent member.

Of course, both rules & conventions are made to be broken...

[crazyhorse691]

I hereby nominate Woodrow Wilson for the position of UN SecGen. He's just what the UN needs to reestablish the credibility it so richly deserves.

[EQAndyBuzz]

The new Secretary for the UN should be the Japanese Prime Minister who is leaving office.

[crazyhorse691]

The new Secretary for the UN should be the Japanese Prime Minister who is leaving office.

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I could say all sorts of things in response, but, I guess the most striking is that you appear to harbor hope that the UN is fixable. I am convinced it is unredeemable. So, the choice of the next Sec-Gen really doesn't matter. Let Carter or Clinton do it so that history can officially blame them for the UNs demise.

[Veto!]

Mo IS a little better looking, but I think bin Laden would make a better secretary general. After all, he represents the opinions about the USA of the greatest number of thugs -- er, delegates.

[EQAndyBuzz]

"I am convinced it is unredeemable."

I am an optimist. I believe anything can be fixed provided the right materials and the right tools are used. Take the UN... Please.

Seriously, the UN can be fixed. The top 10 floors need to be cut off and the building fumigated. Then when everyone is outside, it gets burned to the ground and the earth for which the building sat salted. Then the UN is moved to Gaza or Beirut. Once everyone is there, Bolton excuses himself to go potty. He walks outside, pulls out a little transmitter and KABOOM!!!!!

Wash, rinse and repeat as necessary.