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Annan Eyes 2nd UN Term - UN Secretary General - Global Policy Forum Annan Eyes 2nd UN Term,
Announcement Expected Next WeekBy Hidekazu Ito
Kyodo News Service
March 15, 2001
General Kofi Annan hopes to serve a second term after his current five-year term ends in December this year and has lined up the backing of major powers whose support is crucial to his bid, diplomatic sources said Thursday. Annan is expected to formally announce his wish for reappointment next week when he returns from a four-nation visit to South Asia.
The sources said the United States and most other permanent members of the Security Council have signaled their willingness to give Annan a second term and there appears to be no serious challenger to his job.
Annan, a 62-year-old native of Ghana, assumed the post as the seventh U.N. secretary general in January 1997 after a 35-year career with the world body. Although U.N. member countries from Asia, which has not seen a U.N. chief from the region since U Thant of Burma stepped down 30 years ago, had considered putting up an Asian candidate, the idea apparently fell through as there has been no consensus on who could pose a serious challenge to the incumbent.
Diplomatic sources said Annan has become the shoo-in favorite to hold on to the job since he has not only secured crucial endorsement from most permanent members of the Security Council, but has also lined up strong support from African member states.
In a letter released Thursday in New York, the Organization of African Unity said the African states 'strongly encourage' Annan to seek a second term and praised him for displaying 'effective leadership' and maintaining 'close relations with member states.' Diplomatic sources predicted that the U.N. General Assembly is likely to endorse Annan's reappointment toward the end of the year following a formal recommendation from the Security Council.
Annan apparently got his ticket for a second term last fall after staging a successful summit meeting of world leaders who gathered at the United Nations for a 'millennium summit' to ponder on global issues. Annan, who had served a stint as assistant U.N. secretary general for peacekeeping operations, has also been credited for strengthening U.N. peacekeeping operations as U.N. chief, as well as for his efforts to bridge the so-called 'digital divide' between rich and poor countries.
According to U.N. watchers, one characteristic of Annan's style leadership is his ability to pursue his policy goals without offending major powers -- particularly those with veto power in the Security Council that could kill his chance for a second term. A U.N. diplomatic source said Annan began a quiet, second-term campaign last summer, by giving a number of high-profile U.N. appointments to senior African diplomats.
Annan 'gave good posts to senior diplomats from Africa so that they would become his cheer-leaders,' the source said. Annan, apparently trying to avoid the fate of his predecessor, Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt whose hope for a second term was killed by the U.S., also took steps to cultivate ties with Washington.
Annan invited U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell to the United Nations shortly after Powell assumed office, and the meeting they had in New York on Feb. 14 apparently gave Annan the green light to pursue a second term. Following that encounter, Britain and France -- both permanent members of the U.N. Security Council -- also signaled that they too would back Annan's reappointment.
'He continues to impress us all with his dignity, human grace, and concern and respect.
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