Canada proposes changes to UN chief selection process
10:12' 16/02/2006 (GMT+7)

Canada has proposed a series of changes to the process of selecting the UN chief in order to make it more transparent and legitimate as the race for the next UN secretary-general is getting tense.

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Current secretary-general Kofi Annan. Photo: http://www.colossusblog.com/mt/archives/images/

The proposal was contained in an informal paper circulated to all UN member states on Tuesday but was made public on Wednesday.

In the proposal, Canada calls for setting criteria for selecting the UN's chief administrative officer and establishing an open consultation process, including organizing meetings for candidates to promote themselves among UN member states.

Under the UN Charter, the secretary-general is appointed by the 191-nation General Assembly (GA) upon the recommendation of the Security Council.

"No list of qualifications is agreed, no formal screening takes place, and the GA membership is asked to declare itself on the nominated candidate without the benefit of relevant information or even informal consultations," the paper says.

"The candidate's vision for the UN's future and program of action for the UN Secretariat remain unexamined, and there is no established way for the member states to develop a sense of the candidate's skills in key areas like communication and political leadership."

The paper stresses that the proposal is not aimed at reducing the authority of the Security Council and challenging the informal practice of rotating the top UN post among the regional groups.

But the paper admits that it is unrealistic to make major changes in the process by which the successor of the current secretary-general, Kofi Annan, will be chosen.

Therefore, it suggests that roundtables or public briefings be organized in the next few months to allow candidates to introduce themselves to UN member states and explain their vision on the UN post and the UN role in the years ahead.

Annan, who comes from Africa, will end his second term at the end of this year, and it is widely expected that it is Asia's turn to take over the secretary-generalship. A number of Asian political figures, including South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, have declared their intention to run for the job.

VietNamNet/Xinhuanet

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