Asia in the world
Ban Ki-MOON
Latin Americans and North Americans dream of creating a free-trade
zone. Europeans speak of building a United States of Europe. The African
Union aspires to become a United States of Africa. Why no United States
of Asia?
Before I became the UN’s Secretary-General, I was an Asian diplomat.
While I was foreign minister of the Republic of Korea, my Government and
I strongly advocated d‚tente with the North. When some in the world
called for sanctions and punitive action, South Korea pushed for
dialogue.
That requires listening as well as speaking. It means sticking to
principles, but also attempting to understand the other side, however
irrational or intransigent it may sometimes appear.
This remains my style at the United Nations. I believe in the power
of diplomacy and engagement. I prioritise dialogue over debate or
declaration.
Above all, I seek results.
We are doing that now in Myanmar. My Special Adviser, Ibrahim Gambari,
has been back in Yangon. His brief is to be the honest broker, the
facilitator of a dialogue between government and opposition leaders,
particularly Aung San Suu Kyi.
The goal is for Myanmar’s Government to release all detained students
and demonstrators, engage with the opposition, move toward a more
democratic society, and rejoin the international community.
This brand of diplomacy is not quick or easy. There is seldom
applause, and often no outward evidence of movement. It is a quiet,
painstaking slog behind the scenes. You have to work the phones, cajole
world leaders to do this or that. It is a symphony - often not a very
harmonious one - of small steps that you hope will lead to something
greater.
You expect nothing. You can only keep trying, keep pushing. Maybe it
works, maybe not. Then you try some more, in a different way, aiming all
the while for some small progress that makes the next step possible.
We are at this point in Darfur. I have spent hundreds of hours
working behind closed doors with various parties to the conflict -
Sudan’s Government, rebel leaders, neighbouring countries, and African
Union partners.
Meanwhile, we are pushing ahead with one of the most complex
peacekeeping operations in our history, feeding and protecting hundreds
of thousands of displaced people, and sponsoring difficult peace
negotiations in Libya.
But even as I push my brand of “Asian” diplomacy, it can sometimes
feel a bit lonely to be an Asian at the international community’s
diplomatic roundtable.
We Asians inhabit the world’s largest continent, with the world’s
largest population and its fastest-growing economies. We have a rich
history and ancient cultures. Yet our role in international affairs is
far less than it could, or should be.
Asia’s contribution to the UN, though significant, could be greater.
Its humanitarian assistance, to put it politely, is less than generous.
We are the only continent where regional integration and common markets
have not taken hold.
Latin Americans and North Americans dream of creating a free-trade
zone. Europeans speak of building a United States of Europe. The African
Union aspires to become a United States of Africa. Why no United States
of Asia?
There are many reasons why Asia is different: history, cultural
diversity, unresolved territorial and political disputes, a lack of
multilateral experience, and the predominance of one or two centres of
power. But the main reason is that we have not tried.
Asia does not do itself justice. As an Asian Secretary-General, I
hope to see this change. I hope to see an Asia that is both better
integrated and more internationally engaged.
I expect particularly great things of my fellow Koreans, a remarkable
people who have come into their own. I hope to see Korea assume more
responsibility in the world, commensurate with its growing economic
clout - especially in the area of development, one of the three pillars
of the UN Charter.
Koreans need to step up, speak out, and do more, and that should
start with more generous official development assistance.
Koreans have already shown their penchant for multi-lateral diplomacy
and trouble shooting through the six-party talks. Now, they, and Asians
at large, need to bring both their skills and their success to bear on
the most pressing global issues of the day.
This is not just my hope, it is also Asia’s obligation.
The writer is Secretary-General of the United Nations |