More than nine months have elapsed since Ban Ki-moon took office
as secretary general of the United Nations. Today, the soft-spoken,
63-year-old Korean looks much more confident in assuming his
duties. In an exclusive interview at UN headquarters in New York,
right after the conclusion of the general debate of this year's
General Assembly, Ban talked with Beijing Review about UN
reform, climate change, the Darfur situation, the six-party talks and China's role in world and
UN affairs. The following are excerpts from the interview:
BEIJING REVIEW: What progress have you made in reforming
the United Nations since you took office? Are you satisfied with
it?
BAN KI-MOON: I have been in my office only nine months. During the
last nine months I think I have made significant reform measures.
Some are successful but some are still ongoing. For example, I have
successfully restructured the peacekeeping operation department and
the disarmament sector. My next focus is on how to strengthen
preventive diplomacy capacity as I have been doing in (dealing
with) Myanmar and Darfur situations. I also have been trying my
best to change the working culture of the United Nations so that we
can make this organization more effective, more efficient, more
functional and more professional. I think I have been making
credible progress.
What is the most difficult?
?
This organization is six decades old. Old systems and traditions
have been accumulated over the last six decades. It may take some
time to change, to make this organization much more efficient. We
need to convince each and every staff as well as member states, as
it is an intergovernmental organization composed of 192 countries.
Therefore, communicating and consulting with all those member
states in carrying out reform process is not an easy task. It
involves time and energy. I'm very much committed to do that.
Climate change has become one of the major concerns of the
international community and you have devoted a lot of efforts to
this issue. There is going to be a meeting in Bali in December this
year.
What do you expect from that meeting?
?
I was very much encouraged by the result of the high-level
meeting on climate change, which was on September 24 in the United
Nations under my chairmanship. There were 80 heads of state and
government, with 168 countries participating. Their messages were
very clear. First of all, science has made it quite clear that we
are now already feeling the impact of the global warming. The
leaders have agreed that it is time now for the international
community to take action. The international community has not taken
enough sufficient and appropriate action. Therefore, it is now time
to take action. Third, they have agreed that the appropriate forum
of this negotiation should be the United Nations and the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. I hope these
messages will be heard by the negotiators, who will participate in
the Bali conference, clearly and loudly. I'm convinced that leaders
have sent out very credible messages already. On the basis of this
in Bali, I hope we'll be able to reinvigorate the old maps and
directions of our negotiations. It will be a long and difficult
negotiation process, but Bali should be the starting point, where
the international community should be ready, or prepared to
negotiate to make a necessary agreement on the mitigation,
adaptation, technology and financing measures. China, as one of the
emerging economies, is a crucially important country. I hope China
will actively participate. I know that China has its own domestic
challenges. At the same time, I appreciate the Chinese Government's
own initiative and (its) commitment to participating in this.
China's active participation and commitment will be crucially
important.
How would you describe China's role in UN
affairs?
?
China is a key player in the United Nations, being one of the five
permanent members of the Security Council. As one of the major
emerging economies in the world, China has been playing a very
important role in all walks of the United Nations. Maintaining a
strong partnership between the United Nations and China is very
important, particularly to the United Nations. As secretary general
(of the United Nations), I hope that China will continue to play
such an important role as one of the pillar countries of the United
Nations in peace and security, development, disarmament and
non-proliferation issues. China has been actively contributing to
the geopolitical issues like the situation in Darfur. We are very
much appreciative of China's contribution by providing military
forces as well as technical engineering teams to Darfur. I hope
your contribution in peacekeeping operations will continue.
Some people in the West have accused China of not doing
enough on the issue of Darfur. Some of them have even gone so far
as to suggest boycotting the Beijing Olympic Games. What is your comment on
that?
?
China has been playing a very constructive role in the Darfur
situation. China has dispatched an engineering team to Darfur and
has also appointed a special envoy, who has been working very
closely with the international community. As far as the question of
the so-called boycott of the (Beijing) Olympics (is concerned), I
think it is not warranted and is misplaced. They are totally
separate issues. We are looking forward to the most successful
hosting of the Olympic Games next year. I watched the big ceremony
of the 365-day countdown that was fantastic and spectacular. I'm
sure that your people and government will make it the most
successful hosting of the Olympic Games.
What are your expectations on the coming peace talks on
the Darfur issue in Libya later this month?
?
It is going to be crucially important for the resolution of the
Darfur issue. I was encouraged by the fact that I was able to
organize this political negotiation meeting in Tripoli, Libya, on
October 27. I have been trying my best to mobilize necessary
resources and also create a favorable atmosphere so that all the
rebel leaders would participate in that negotiation. It is
absolutely necessary for the leaders of rebel groups to participate
in that peace negotiation. I'm concerned that some of the leading
groups are still showing reluctance. If they really think of the
future of their own country, the leaders of these groups should
participate in the peace talks rather than staying out, and the
leaders should know (how) to make a right decision at the right
time. We will try our best to convince those leaders of rebel
groups, particularly Abdul Wahid (el-Nur), to participate in the
negotiations. However, participation or non-participation of any
particular individual group should not be the criteria to judge the
failure or success of the talks. So we will convene the meeting as
planned.
How do you compare the result of the second inter-Korea
summit with that of the first in the year 2000?
?
I am encouraged and happy and excited about the result of the
second summit meeting between the DPRK (the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea) and the ROK (the Republic of Korea). The first
meeting, which took place in June 2000, was also very historic. At
that time, there were some agreements, but those agreements had not
been implemented. This time, the two leaders have agreed in a much
more detailed manner. This is a step forward in solidifying the
already going-on exchanges and cooperation. It will certainly help
further national reconciliation and build mutual trust. With these
agreements going on and (being) implemented, I'm quite convinced
that both South and North Korea will be able to further solidify
their groundwork for peace and security on the Korean Peninsula. If
everything goes smoothly, it will contribute to peace and security
even beyond the Korean Peninsula.
As you have just mentioned, the agreements reached
during the first inter-Korea talks have failed to be implemented.
What are the potential obstacles the two sides have to overcome to
truly carry out the joint declaration this time?
?
Because of the long division of the peninsula, there has not
been sufficient trust and confidence between the two parts.
Occasional incidents really created many obstacles in carrying out
the first summit agreement. During the last seven years, exchanges
and cooperation have been much widened and deepened. On the basis
of this, North Koreans and South Koreans have been able to deepen
their mutual trust. Now on this basis, the two leaders have agreed
on many detailed agreements. Therefore, I'm quite confident that
the implementation process will be much smoother than before.
What are the key factors that may adversely affect the
true implementation of the joint document signed at the latest
round of the six-party talks in Beijing?
?
Again, I'm optimistic. I do not want to look at the negative
side or obstacles. As a matter of principle, you should always look
at the positive side to implement this six-party agreement. This is
again one step forward toward the denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula. It contains many important elements in furthering the
denuclearization process; for example, disabling these nuclear
facilities with the eventual dismantlement of all nuclear
facilities and materials. This is a very important agreement. I'm
very much encouraged by the agreement of the six-party talks. This
is much further on the basis of the February agreement this
year.
You once said you have a soft ear. Some people have
interpreted soft ear as a kind of soft stand. What's your
comment?
?
When you reach the age of 60, you should be able to have the
good wisdom to listen to everybody's views and concerns and you
should make your own judgment in the most reasonable and objective
way. In Asian culture, important virtues are modesty and soft
speaking. That should not be misunderstood as a lack of commitment,
lack of leadership, lack of energy or dynamism. This softness is
sort of a style of one's behavior. But I have made decisive
decisions whenever a critical situation comes.
?
(Beijing Review Reporting by Wang Gangyi, Wang Yanjuan
and Chen Wen from New York October 16, 2007)
