I have repeatedly stated that the US administration’s several woes in international affairs stem from its insistence to ride solo, and roughshod, over public opinion (within and outside the country). Its hostile attitude towards the United Nations has further alienated the United States from the comity of nations.
Hopefully, this entire scenario may undergo a change with the United States and Israel supporting Ban Ki-Moon, who has emerged as a clear favourite to become the next UN Secretary-General. Ban is expected to take over the charge from Mr Kofi Annan from the beginning of 2007.
Israel’s Jerusalem Post seems to be celebrating this likely appointment: “Ban Ki-Moon, who was the first South Korean foreign minister to visit Israel and is considered a friend of the country, appears headed to become the next secretary-general of the United Nations. Diplomatic sources in Jerusalem welcomed indications that he would win the upcoming election, terming him a most suitable candidate.
“On Tuesday, several permanent members of the Security Council praised Ban after a straw poll overwhelming backed his candidacy. He received four affirmations, one ‘no opinion’ and no objections from the US, Britain, France, Russia and China, the veto-wielding nations.
“The 15-member council is set to hold a formal vote next week, probably on October 9, after which the General Assembly has to give its approval, which it usually does without protest.
“If elected, Ban would succeed Kofi Annan of Ghana, who has had a rocky relationship with Israel during his 10-year leadership of the UN.
“Ban, in contrast, comes from a country that has strong ties to the West and is facing the threat of a nuclear-armed North Korea on its doorstep.
” ‘[Ban] is from a friendly country and he’s a friend of Israel’,” said Uzi Manor, who served as ambassador to South Korea until last year. ‘He’s a statesman and he behaves like a statesman. He’s a very capable man, a very honest one, very polite’.”
The BBC gives Ban’s profile: “The case for South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to become the next UN Secretary General is founded, his supporters say, on his skills as a consummate mediator and a world-class administrator.
“The world’s top powers seem to agree, casting aside concerns he may be too low-profile and too uncharismatic to lead in difficult times.
“In his own words, Mr Ban sees himself as a ‘harmoniser, balancer, mediator’.
“During the long selection process, he has talked much of reforming the UN – how the organisation must promise less and deliver more.”
The pro-active role of the United States and Israel in the United Nations would be more than welcome because the United Nations can only succeed if all its members take an active part to evolve a consensual approach towards sorting out contentious issues that face the world.
Swaraaj Chauhan describes his two-decade-long stint as a full-time journalist as eventful, purposeful, and full of joy and excitement. In 1993 he could foresee a different work culture appearing on the horizon, and decided to devote full time to teaching journalism (also, partly, with a desire to give back to the community from where he had enriched himself so much.)
Alongside, he worked for about a year in 1993 for the US State Department’s SPAN magazine, a nearly five-decade-old art and culture monthly magazine promoting US-India relations. It gave him an excellent opportunity to learn about things American, plus the pleasure of playing tennis in the lavish American embassy compound in the heart of New Delhi.
In !995 he joined WWF-India as a full-time media and environment education consultant and worked there for five years travelling a great deal, including to Husum in Germany as a part of the international team to formulate WWF’s Eco-tourism policy.
He taught journalism to honors students in a college affiliated to the University of Delhi, as also at the prestigious Indian Institute of Mass Communication where he lectured on “Development Journalism” to mid-career journalists/Information officers from the SAARC, African, East European and Latin American countries, for eight years.
In 2004 the BBC World Service Trust (BBC WST) selected him as a Trainer/Mentor for India under a European Union project. In 2008/09 He completed another European Union-funded project for the BBC WST related to Disaster Management and media coverage in two eastern States in India — West Bengal and Orissa.
Last year, he spent a couple of months in Australia and enjoyed trekking, and also taught for a while at the University of South Australia.
Recently, he was appointed as a Member of the Board of Studies at Chitkara University in Chandigarh, a beautiful city in North India designed by the famous Swiss/French architect Le Corbusier. He also teaches undergraduate and postgraduate students there.
He loves trekking, especially in the hills, and never misses an opportunity to play a game of tennis. The Western and Indian classical music are always within his reach for instant relaxation.
And last, but not least, is his firm belief in the power of the positive thought to heal oneself and others.