Kadirgamar contends at Afro-Asian ministerial meeting:

Asia's turn next to hold UN Secretary General's position
 

FROM RODNEY Martinesz in Jakarta

ADDRESSING the Asian-African Ministerial Meeting held in Jakarta to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Asian-African Conference held in Bandung in 1955, Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar submitted that it was Asia's turn to hold the position of Secretary General of the United Nations on the expiry of the term of the present incumbent in 2006.

He argued that Asia is the most populous continent with 60 per cent of the world's population, 30 percent of global land mass and 25 percent of world economic output. It will be recalled that Asia wholeheartedly supported the African group when it sought support for a second term for the present Secretary General, Mr. Kofi Annan.

At a time when the international community is engaged in a process within the United Nations framework of seeking the best ways to address new and emerging threats to international peace and security and reform of the United Nations itself and the developing world is striving for greater participation in the decision making processes of the United Nations, it is to the advantage of the Asian-African countries to have a Secretary General from Asia who would be sensitive to the problems of the developing world.

A number of delegations supported the views expressed by Sri Lanka, states a Foreign Ministry press release.

The meeting was co-chaired by the Foreign Minister of Indonesia and the Foreign Minister of South Africa. In the co-chairs' summary at the conclusion of the meeting it was stated that "the meeting expressed the view that the next Secretary-General of the United Nations should represent the needs of the developing world. In this regard it was generally felt that it should be the turn of the Asian region".

The Ministerial Meeting was attended by 89 delegations representing the countries of Asia and Africa.

The Sri Lanka delegation for the meeting comprised Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, Sri Lanka's Permanent representative to the United Nations, Jayantha Dhanapala, Secretary-General of the Peace Secretariat and several officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Minister Kadirgamar held consultations with several delegations over the candidature of Mr. Dhanapala for the post of UN Secretary-General.

United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan yesterday called on the Asian-African nations to honour Bandung by reviving its great spirit and by making 2005, a true turning point for the development world and the United Nations.

He was addressing the opening sessions of the Asian-African Summit and the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Bandung conference at the Baladi-Sidang Jakarta Convention Centre.

The Secretary-General called on the leaders to reach a new global deal to tackle the challenges of development security and human rights and to overhaul the United Nations.

The recommendations in his report, titled 'In larger freedom: Towards development security and human rights for all', lay the groundwork for decisions at the upcoming summit of world leaders at the UN in September 2005.

The Secretary General stressed that the reports proposal be viewed as an achievable package to which member states can agree in September. Key proposals include:

Development

* Developing countries to implement national action plans to meet the Millennium Development Goals, supported by increased development assistance by developed countries including meeting their commitment to meet the 0.7 per cent target of gross national income by 2015 or sooner.

* Mitigating the impact of climate change by mobilizing science and technology and committing to a more inclusive international framework for stabilising greenhouse gas emissions following the expiration of the Kyoto Protocol in 2012;

Security

* Agreement on a comprehensive convention against terrorism based on a clear and agreed definition, as part of a broader strategy to prevent catastrophic terrorism;

* States to complete, sign and implement a fissile material cut-off treaty to reduce the risks of proliferation of nuclear materials;

* Creation of a UN Peace-building Commission to help win the peace in post-conflict countries.

He noted that the vision of the assembled leaders at Bandung eventually led to the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement and the G-77. "As each new nation found its freedom, and took its seat in the General Assembly hall, the 'Spirit of Bandung' completely transformed the United Nations".

He said once this happened "our world could truly begin to focus on the challenges of development and human rights everywhere.