NYT/AP: Ban Ki - Moon Takes the Reins of U.N.

[DeepModem Mom]

Ban Ki - Moon Takes the Reins of U.N.
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: January 1, 2007

UNITED NATIONS (AP) -- South Korean diplomat Ban Ki-moon became the United Nations' eighth secretary-general on New Year's Day as the organization faced a tough array of global issues -- from escalating violence in Darfur to the AIDS pandemic.

The 62-year-old career diplomat, who grew up during a war that left his country divided, has promised to make peace with North Korea a top priority.

He will travel there when necessary, he has said, and has cautioned that the reclusive communist nation must be talked to -- not just punished with sanctions for its nuclear weapons program.

The United States is certain to press Ban to expand management reforms at the United Nations, which outgoing Secretary-General Kofi Annan began.

The 192-member General Assembly, which controls the U.N. budget and oversees its management, has been reluctant to institute changes that Annan and many experts say are essential to modernize the 61-year-old world body.

In a speech after taking his oath of office Dec. 14, Ban said he will work to build ''a more peaceful, more prosperous and more just world for succeeding generations.''...

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-UN-New-Secretary-General.html

[Ruffhowse]

1. Is this guy anyway related to......

the Reverend Moon of the Unification Church looney tune bunch?

[tanyev]

2. No relation, but there is speculation that he is a Moonie.

The Unification Church, the global enterprise of South Korean Rev. Sun Myung Moon (born Yong Myung Moon), may be attempting to take control of the United Nations through the all-but-certain election of South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon as UN Secretary General.

Some informed UN sources are concerned that Moon lists his religious affiliation as "non-denominational Christian," a code word often used by the "Moonies" for the Unification Church.

In addition, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and UN ambassador John Bolton are attempting to have former Washington Times editor Josette Sheeran Shiner become the next Executive Director of the World Food Program. Sheeran Shiner is a member of Sun Myung Moon's Unification Church. The term of the World Food Program Executive Director is five years. Shiner is currently the Under Secretary of State for Economic, Business and Agricultural Affairs.

Although Ban Ki-moon and Sun Myung Moon are not related, some UN members may sense that there is something amiss about the Bush administration's strong support for the South Korean Foreign Minister, given the close links between some Bush officials and the "Moonies." There were a few "discourage" and "no opinion" ballots cast by Security Council members on Ban Ki-moon.
http://onlinejournal.com/artman/publish/article_1281.shtml

[WhiteTara]

3. his appointments seem interesting

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/01/AR2007010100426.html
snip
But Ban, 62, a former foreign minister whose English is relatively fluent and his French halting, says he will arrive at work early on Tuesday for a speech to U.N. staff that will be broadcast by video to its offices abroad.

Over the weekend his office announced two appointments. Indian Vijay Nambiar, a former adviser to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, was named as his chief of staff and Michele Montas, an award-winning Haitian journalist as his chief spokeswoman.

But other top posts may not be filled for some time, except for administration and management, which U.N. sources say will go to Alicia Barcena, Annan's former chief of staff, to replace American Christopher Burnham. Ban also has not yet named a deputy secretary-general, expected to be a woman, or filled the key posts of peacekeeping and political affairs, which France, the United States and Britain want.

more