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| Minister of Foreign Affairs
Tyronne Fernando |
| Photo by James Overly |
Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Tyronne (pronounced
‘Tee-Ron’) Fernando has announced his
candidacy to replace Africa’s Kofi Annan as
Secretary General of the United Nations. The UN
will choose a replacement for Annan when he finishes
his second term as Secretary General in 2007.
“2007 will be Asia’s turn,” Fernando
says. “Asia has supplied only one Secretary General.”
That was U Thant of Burma (now Myanmar), who led the
international organization during the 1960’s.
Fernando acknowledges that how the United Nations
handles the current Iraq situation is crucial. “Probably
its very existence depends on how the Iraq crisis
plays out,” he says. “Together, we have
to make it a very active place, not just a debating
society.”
The foreign minister believes how the United States
views the United Nations is crucial. “We very
much appreciate that the U.S. has been working through
the UN” on the Iraq crisis, he says. “Even
though the U.S. is the only superpower at the moment,
the U.S. has to live with all the other 180 countries
in the world. This is their forum for that. The US
must also respect the UN,” he says.
The candidate for the international organization’s
top post wants to see closer United States involvement
in other aspects of the UN’s work. “The
UN, apart from the aspects of war and peace, has a
very important role to play in countries like ours,
the poor countries. It has a role to play in economic
development of the world,” he says. The United
States, he continues, as “the richest and most
powerful country must have a very vital role to play
in the future of the world.”
When asked whether he sees greater United States involvement
in the United Nations as depending on a perception
that the UN is effective in resolving conflicts, Fernando
reasserts that the “United States itself must
draw closer to the United Nations.”
“Certainly we all have a responsibility to see
that the UN doesn’t go into the dustbin of history,”
he adds, “It has achieved more than it has not
achieved. It has held together for fifty-odd years.
And as I said, we must all together see that it is
an active organization.”
Fernando’s candidacy for the top UN spot reflects
his country’s active role in international organizations.
Long active in the Non-Aligned Movement, Sri Lanka
sees that organization still having a role to play.
“The NAM was born at a time when there were two
superpowers. Now there is only one, but nevertheless
we must continue discussing our future. The NAM numbers
about 140 countries. They may be small ones, but most
of them are poor, and there’s a huge population
base. I think we are keen to keep this together, to
keep it going,” he says. In his view, the NAM
“should be a forum, an organization that strengthens
the United Nations and effectively tackles poverty.” |
