Former UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon talks with WION's Mandy Clark about growing up during the Korean War, his tenure in India, and his most satisfying moments as UN secretary general

In an exclusive interview with WION's Mandy Clark, former UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon talks about growing up during the Korean War, his tenure in India, his most satisfying moments as UN secretary general, the lacunae in the UN's system of decision-making and more. The entire transcript of the interview follows: Today on the show we have a man who grew up during the Korean War to become one of the most powerful international diplomats, His Excellency Mr Ban Ki-Moon. Well, thank you for joining us. Q. Now everyone knows you as the former UN Secretary-General but tell us a little bit about growing up during the Korean War. How did it shape you? A: As you know I have been calling myself a child of war. I was born before the end of Second World War. But when I was six years old, the Korean War broke out. That war changed my life. Not only me but the whole Korean people including my parents and grand parents. So we had to flee our hometown, we have seen our hometown bombed and in flames and we lost all schools. United Nations came, in fact India also sent very important life saving humanitarian support teams. We are deeply grateful to Indian people. At a time when many Korean people including myself needed life saving support, that's why I am calling myself a child of war. A child of war who was assisted and helped by the United Nations later became the secretary general of the United Nations, that's quite a privelige and very moving, and I'm very much honoured. I have been exerting all my efforts and time during the last 10 years as the Secretary-General to do what I have been receiving. When I was meeting many refugee children, United Nations was with me at that time, now it's time that the United Nations be with you, don't despair, that has been my continuing message of hope. Q: What would you describe as the high point of your career as the UN Secretary-General? A: It's very hard to depict one or two but if I may say maybe three. The first one the moment when the whole international community and 195 state parties adopted unanimously the Paris Climate Agreement in December 2015 here in Paris. I still cannot forget the excitement and proud moment of whole delegations who were cheering and encouraging themselves, embracing themselves. Second moment would be September 2015 when all member states of United Nations adopted and presented their very ambitious far reaching vision called Sustainable Development Goals with 17 goals covering the whole spectrum of human beings and also of planet Earth, including climate change. That was quite a moment when everybody was proud. Pope Francis was also there. More than 150 heads of state in government at the time. The third moment which has not been much known but is very important. In 2010, I established what is known as UN Women. This is a super agency dealing with gender equality. Until that moment there was no such department or agency dealing with promoting gender empowerment. I have been working very hard to make sure that men and women can equally share Planet Earth and women's rights and dignity should be fully protected and promoted. Q: Wonderful. On your high points in getting the Paris agreement adopted, Donald Trump has decided to pull out of it. What is your reaction to that? A: It was with the deepest disappointment and concern when I heard this message this news on June 1 when US President Donald Trump announced that US would be pulling out of this Paris Agreement. It's just one and a half year ago when the whole international community was united with a strong solidarity to save human beings and also the planet Earth from deteriorating environmental degradation. I have two observations - first of all, this decision is shortsighted, misguided and it does not stand on any scientific evidence or economic assessment. The other is why the United States is now pulling back from this global pact agreement. It has galvanised a strong march forward. It has galvanised not only government but also business groups and civil societies, they are marching on regardless of what may happen. Of course, the US which accounts for 14% of greenhouse gas emissions is the number two country next only to China. It has also the largest resources, financial resources and they have to pay and help many developing countries. It will be a huge blow politically, and psychologically to the international community. At the same time I am very much encouraged to be in Paris now, working with many world leaders, particularly European leaders - including President Macron of France - who have unequivocally stated that this is a wrong decision. I think it's a global pact for the environment which we adopted in Paris. It will be a great sign of solidarity and unity in terms of our commitment to make sure that our generations and our planet earth will be able to live harmoniously and sustainably with our environment. Q: As the former secretary general, I am sure you met many many world leaders. Have you met Prime Minister Narendra Modi? A: I have met him so many times. I even visited his hometown Gujarat and when he hosted a very important summit meeting on environment and I really wanted to be with him and support his leadership. In fact, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has not only been popular in his own country but he has also been spearheading this campaign to save planet earth and human beings from environmental degradation by initiating many important domestic and global initiatives. He spearheaded what we call the International Solar Alliance where 122 countries are participating with the help of the European Union particularly United States and also France. It is hugely ambitious and they are now making sure that their greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced through their nationally targeted, determined contribution reducing at least to 33-35%, against the level of 2005. I hope despite what is happening now in some parts of the world, particularly the United States, the Indian government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will really lead this campaign, global campaign to make sure that the Paris Agreement will be fully implemented. Q: When you were the UN secretary general did you ever come under pressure by powerful members? A: That's quite a sensitive question. The fact of our reality, our real world. There were some occasions when certain number of countries, those member states brought some national interests, perspectives to the United Nations. The UN is the place where we discuss all national issues and make it a global perspective. This is the beauty and importance of the United Nations. Sometimes certain countries have been insisting that only their national interest should be reflected in a global perspective, that is not a fair and constructive one but I have been standing tall and firm, whenever I have faced that kind of political pressure. First of all it was unfair, it was unethical in accordance with the UN principles of the Charter. Finally sometimes they would withdraw or their perspectives have been sometimes reflected as overall comprehensive global framework. I think that is okay but I sincerely hope that leaders of member states should have global perspectives. Q: And because of pressures from powerful members, do you think that UN needs reforms? It's 70 years old and it's changed and now the world has changed in 70 years? A: I think I should agree to your question that UN should have changed much, much more during my term as Secretary-General of 10 years. I have been exerting all my efforts to make UN more transparent, accountable and more workable and more forward looking so that it can be the symbol of hope working for many defenceless and voiceless people. But the fact of life is that despite the transformative development of technology, communication and information, UN agencies have not been able to cope in terms of speed of adapting itself to the changing world that's why the UN reform has always been the No 1 priority including my seven predecessors, my successor and me. I'm sure that this will have to be the priority issue to make sure that the UN is more representative. UN is more accountable and transparent and can deliver much more to many people who are really hoping that it will be the voice of the voiceless people and defender of the defenceless people. Q: What would you say the biggest weaknesses in the UN are? A: I would say the rest of weaknesses in points but the decision making process is not upto the standard or upto what we see in the changing world. For example we have a charter provision of veto power in the Security Council. The Security Council is the most responsible organisation for the peace of the world. They have to be able to immediately, efficiently and effectively address all these issues but this is a very unique way of decision making. Then away from this Security Council when it is a charter provision, I am not able to say anything about the amendment of the charter provision but when it comes to general assembly the normal proceedings of United Nations they sort of favour or tried to agree on anything on a consensus basis. And literally speaking the consensus does not, should not block decision making and there should not always be unanimity but sometimes some countries will insist on unanimity, then when we have 193 member states, it's very difficult to take a decision. So that means when the UN takes time in making decisions, it will be the people around the world who urgently need our support may not get such a support. Q: You brought up the Security Council now. Is Security Council reform feasible or practical? A: I think there is a widely shared feeling and almost a consensus feeling that the Security Council should be changed, adapting to a changing situation in a more representative, democratic, more transparent and more accountable way. That's all that I want to see happen. In practical terms whether it is viable or not, I think it should be viable. If the five permanent members of the Security Council are united that they are for the change of the United Nations Security Council, I think it is possible, but unfortunately this has been discussed during the last 25 years without making any progress. Q: India has for long wanted to be a part of the Security Council. Do you think that would be in all likelihood ever happen? A: I am fully aware of the aspirations shared between the Indian government and people that India would like to contribute more as one of the very important member states of the United Nations for maintaining peace and security not only in the region but globally as well. And that's where India has been playing a very important role by providing many soldiers in conflict areas and sending humanitarian support to people who need it. There are widely shared views among the member states that countries like India should be able to contribute better and more but again that is part of Security Council reform. Q: Do you think we can include India on the Security Council anytime soon? A: I think since member states are seriously engaged in negotiations on this matter, I sincerely hope that the time will come soon rather than late when UN should be ready and better prepared institutionally to cope with many challenges. Q: Speaking of challenges, the UN was heavily criticised about not taking action on the war in Syria. Do you feel that the UN in this case failed the people of Syria? A: Whenever there are some crises and conflicts, long standing conflicts, the UN has been blamed and criticised. I don't think it is fair but at the same time one should also look into it carefully and more deeply why it has been so. Well in case of the Syrian war, it has continued for longer than six years. During that time, while fighting was going on more than five million people have become refugees and more than half a million people have been killed and most of the infrastructure has been destroyed.This is a terrible and tragic situation because of disunity, division of political issues. There are at least three divisions. The Syrian people - they are divided into pro-Assad and anti-Assad and secondly, the regional powers in the Middle East are divided, you know what is now happening - their conflicts among themselves. This has not helped the Syrian crisis and then the Security Council. In a broader sense, the United Nations has not been united, it has been divided. Even for humanitarian support, we have seen several veto powers exercised and this has really made significant deteriorating situations in terms of the UN's ability to address this issue. I have nominated three most distinguished and able diplomats. First my predecessor Kofi Annan as a special envoy. Then one of the most capable diplomats Lakhdar Brahimi and now Steffan de Mistura, these three envoys have been fully extensively and deeply engaged in the negotiations. Now these negotiations are still going on I hope that now their regional powers who are involved in this process should really address this issue with a sense of unity and solidarity not only for Syrians but for their region. We have to show an example that UN can resolve this span of longstanding conflicts. Q: Now do you believe the UN should play a more peace keeping role in other countries like Afghanistan? A: When you are talking about peace keeping forces in Afghanistan, the peace keeping missions are mandated by the Security Council. Wherever there is peace to keep, there is a peacekeeping mission, keeping two conflicting sides at bay through the UN peacekeeping mission. It's not a peace-imposing mission when it comes through enforced peace like we have seen in Iraq and Afghanistan. They have been creating a sort of a coalition force. Those countries who are willing to contribute their forces should help enforce peace. Now is not the right environment, I mean politically sustainable, to think about UN peacekeeping. Peacekeeping in Afghanistan is largely done by coalition forces led by the US and some of the European countries. It requires a huge amount of resources including assets. We have seen a lot ofsacrifices in Iraq and in Afghanistan. So UN has been very cautious about this kind of a situation. Q: Before you were a secretary general, you were a diplomat and were posted in New Delhi. Can you tell me how did you find your posting? A: New Delhi was my first diplomatic posting. I was a young, very hopeful, ambitious, young diplomat. Looking back 45 years when I was just a young Korean diplomat working in India learning more about the regional situations and learning more about Indian way of diplomacy. India has produced many distinguished diplomats and India has been a leading country in the Non-Aligned movement. There have been very active member states of the UN and India has shown some model roles in diplomacy. I was fortunate to spend three years in India trying to learn how a diplomat should work together with other member states. Now, climbing the ladder in my diplomatic career, I have been also working very closely with Indian diplomats and Indian politicians like PM Modi and PM Manmohan Singh and many foreign ministers and diplomats. I even had as my Chief of Staff, an Indian diplomat while serving as secretary general. So all in all, I have very good experiences and memories. When this is a personal story. When I was there, my son was born in India. Then after many years, I my son-in-law, an Indian man, was married to my daughter. So I love Indian connections like in terms of a public career and in terms of family and relationships. My grandson Jai who is the joint product of India and Korea. All in all I have a very good attachment and love for Indian culture. India also is the origin of our civilisation and culture. Q: Wonderful. And what does the future hold for you? There's some speculation that the Presidency in South Korea might be in line in the future? A: Well it is over already, we have a new President. I have dropped this ambition. Now, as a former secretary general of the UN I think I have more things to do, more constructive, future-oriented works to do. I'll try my best to foster a global citizenship, a global vision among young people who will soon be taking over their leadership in their respective societies. It is very important we work as global citizens. Now while we make all different national passports all national nationalities. But in this tightly/tight knit interconnected world with transformative technological development, particularly in terms of communication and information and transportation, this world has become a very small one and we are all members of a global society. Therefore, we should not mind much about national territories, and national citizens. We have to work for global citizens, this is my vision and I am going to foster this global citizenship to many young people as a former secretary general and I will be chairing the Ban ki-Moon Centre for Sustainable Development. I am also planning to establish a Ban ki-Moon Centre for Global Citizens. So those are the areas where I will devote my time and energy. Q: Finally there has been a kind of a wave of isolationism, populism where you know the Presidency of Donald Trump is all about making America great. We saw Brexit being away from Europe. How do you fight that instinct when people want to pull away from an interconnected world? A: Again we are living in a very small world where we are all members of a small global family. I am deeply concerned about these kind of shortsighted national perspectives. Instead of building bridges, erecting walls against other people, this is totally unacceptable in the 21st century. I am deeply concerned about this nationalism, isolationism and just trying to protect your own people. There is no difference between regions or among the countries. We are one family now. I have been urging world leaders to foster a global citizenship and global vision. Those leaders who do not have global vision cannot be global leaders. We need global leadership now. That's what UN is aspiring for and trying to achieve. Q: Your excellency, Mr Ban Ki Moon. Thank you very much. A: Thank you very much it's been a great pleasure. (WION) Ex-UN chief Ban Ki-moon talks exclusively to WION (WION) ×

Decision-making in the UN not up to the mark: Ban ki-Moon speaks exclusively with WION

Former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon abruptly ended his attempt to seek South Korea&#39;s presidency Wednesday, dropping a lifetime of diplomacy to denounce his country&#39;s political establishment.

Ban returned home last month after a decade in New York and was widely expected to run in elections due this year, but his putative candidacy ran into a series of stumbles and he struggled for backing.

&quot;I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country,&quot; he told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference.&nbsp;

&quot;I&#39;m sorry for disappointing many people.&quot;

Although he never officially declared he was running, the former UN chief embarked on a series of public appearances and repeatedly spoke of the need to bring about a &quot;change in politics&quot; in a country where a wide-ranging corruption scandal has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached.

Reports claimed he had signed a contract to rent a 660-square metre office in Seoul, and as recently as Tuesday he was urging a change to the constitution to dilute the sweeping executive powers of the presidency and ensure more co-operative governance.

The 72-year-old was widely expected to join Park&#39;s Saenuri party or an emerging conservative breakaway group for presidential elections which are due this year, whatever the outcome of the impeachment process.

But he struggled to secure party backing in South Korea&#39;s highly partisan political system, and corruption allegations were made against some of his relatives.

&quot;I was very disappointed by the parochial, selfish attitudes of some politicians,&quot; he said Wednesday. &quot;I reached a conclusion that it would be meaningless to move forward with them.&quot;

&quot;In order to resolve our current problems, we need to abandon the self-conceited attitude of &#39;it must be me or no one else&#39;,&quot; Ban added.

&#39;Pure aspirations&#39;

But he was also to some extent the author of his own misfortune, analysts said, not articulating a clear political platform and his prominent global role failing to translate into domestic support.

Pictures of him trying to put two banknotes into a ticket machine at once made him appear out of touch, and front-page photos of him wearing a bib to feed porridge to an old woman flat on her back in a care home sparked public fury.

He was criticised for wearing head-to-toe protective gear to try out a disinfectant spray at a farm, when most of those around him were not similarly dressed, and came under fire for becoming infuriated with reporters who asked questions about a controversial agreement between South Korea and Japan on wartime sex slaves.

&quot;My pure patriotism and aspirations have fallen victim to slander that was close to personality slaughter,&quot; he said Wednesday, before bowing briefly, shuffling his papers and leaving the stage to a barrage of camera flashes.

His support in public opinion polls had rapidly declined from 20.3 percent when he returned to 13.1 per cent before his announcement.

The Saenuri party called Ban&#39;s sudden withdrawal from politics &quot;regrettable&quot;.

&quot;We cannot but deplore that he was discouraged by the selfishness of some politicians,&quot; it said in a statement.

Presidential race frontrunner Moon Jae-In, of the main opposition Democratic Party, said Ban&#39;s announcement was &quot;unexpected considering his recent activities&quot; but said he will seek his advice on diplomatic issues.

During his pre-UN career Ban never joined any South Korean political party, despite serving as foreign minister under the late liberal president Roh Moo-Hyun from 2004 to 2006.

Political scientist Park Kie-Duck, former head of the Sejong Institute, a prestigious independent think-tank, told AFP that Ban &quot;failed to project an image as a leader with a vision and concrete political agenda&quot;.

&quot;With no political machines to rely on, his fame as a former UN secretary-general has been wearing thin very quickly,&quot; he said.

&quot;As a career diplomat, the country&#39;s rough and tumble political life was simply too much for him.&quot;

(AFP)

The former UN secretary-general's return to South Korea has been mired in a series of PR gaffes and a scandal involving family members

Former United Nations secretary-general Ban Ki-moon abruptly ended his attempt to seek South Korea's presidency Wednesday, dropping a lifetime of diplomacy to denounce his country's political establishment. Ban returned home last month after a decade in New York and was widely expected to run in elections due this year, but his putative candidacy ran into a series of stumbles and he struggled for backing. "I will give up my pure intention to bring about a change in politics under my leadership and to unify the country," he told reporters at a hastily arranged press conference. "I'm sorry for disappointing many people." Although he never officially declared he was running, the former UN chief embarked on a series of public appearances and repeatedly spoke of the need to bring about a "change in politics" in a country where a wide-ranging corruption scandal has seen President Park Geun-Hye impeached. Reports claimed he had signed a contract to rent a 660-square metre office in Seoul, and as recently as Tuesday he was urging a change to the constitution to dilute the sweeping executive powers of the presidency and ensure more co-operative governance. The 72-year-old was widely expected to join Park's Saenuri party or an emerging conservative breakaway group for presidential elections which are due this year, whatever the outcome of the impeachment process. But he struggled to secure party backing in South Korea's highly partisan political system, and corruption allegations were made against some of his relatives. "I was very disappointed by the parochial, selfish attitudes of some politicians," he said Wednesday. "I reached a conclusion that it would be meaningless to move forward with them." "In order to resolve our current problems, we need to abandon the self-conceited attitude of 'it must be me or no one else'," Ban added. 'Pure aspirations' But he was also to some extent the author of his own misfortune, analysts said, not articulating a clear political platform and his prominent global role failing to translate into domestic support. Pictures of him trying to put two banknotes into a ticket machine at once made him appear out of touch, and front-page photos of him wearing a bib to feed porridge to an old woman flat on her back in a care home sparked public fury. He was criticised for wearing head-to-toe protective gear to try out a disinfectant spray at a farm, when most of those around him were not similarly dressed, and came under fire for becoming infuriated with reporters who asked questions about a controversial agreement between South Korea and Japan on wartime sex slaves. "My pure patriotism and aspirations have fallen victim to slander that was close to personality slaughter," he said Wednesday, before bowing briefly, shuffling his papers and leaving the stage to a barrage of camera flashes. His support in public opinion polls had rapidly declined from 20.3 percent when he returned to 13.1 per cent before his announcement. The Saenuri party called Ban's sudden withdrawal from politics "regrettable". "We cannot but deplore that he was discouraged by the selfishness of some politicians," it said in a statement. Presidential race frontrunner Moon Jae-In, of the main opposition Democratic Party, said Ban's announcement was "unexpected considering his recent activities" but said he will seek his advice on diplomatic issues. During his pre-UN career Ban never joined any South Korean political party, despite serving as foreign minister under the late liberal president Roh Moo-Hyun from 2004 to 2006. Political scientist Park Kie-Duck, former head of the Sejong Institute, a prestigious independent think-tank, told AFP that Ban "failed to project an image as a leader with a vision and concrete political agenda". "With no political machines to rely on, his fame as a former UN secretary-general has been wearing thin very quickly," he said. "As a career diplomat, the country's rough and tumble political life was simply too much for him." (AFP)

Ban Ki-moon rules out South Korean presidential bid, blames 'personality slaughter'

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has hinted he may run for president of South Korea when he returns home early next year, the BBC reports.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he said that after some rest he will return to South Korea and consider how best to help his country, the BBC said in its report.

&ldquo;I will really consider seriously how best and what I should and I could do for my country,&rdquo; he said.&nbsp;

This was his final press conference as secretary general of the UN.

South Korea&rsquo;s current president &nbsp;Park Geun-hye was suspended last week after the parliament voted to impeach her.

She is accused of allowing a close friend to profit from her connections with the presidency.

&ldquo;I can understand and share the anxiety of people about the future of their country,&rdquo; he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press.

&ldquo;And this is one of the biggest challenges the Korean people are encountering.&rdquo;&nbsp;

Ban has served as the UN chief for 10 years.

(WION)

Speaking at a press conference, he said that after some rest he will return to South Korea and consider how best to help his country

UN chief Ban Ki-moon has hinted he may run for president of South Korea when he returns home early next year, the BBC reports. Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he said that after some rest he will return to South Korea and consider how best to help his country, the BBC said in its report. “I will really consider seriously how best and what I should and I could do for my country,” he said. This was his final press conference as secretary general of the UN. South Korea’s current president Park Geun-hye was suspended last week after the parliament voted to impeach her. She is accused of allowing a close friend to profit from her connections with the presidency. “I can understand and share the anxiety of people about the future of their country,” he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. “And this is one of the biggest challenges the Korean people are encountering.” Ban has served as the UN chief for 10 years. (WION)

Outgoing UN chief Ban Ki-moon hints at running for South Korea's presidency

Deeply concerned over the &quot;deterioration&quot; in situation along the Line of Control in India&#39;s northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon called on both the South Asain neighbours to restore stability in the region.&nbsp;

In a United Nations statement Ban Ki-moon&#39;s spokesman said, &quot;The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir in recent days.&quot;

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan as both nations accuse each other of repeated ceasefire violations.

Pakistan alleged that 12 people, including three of its soldiers were killed in firings from the Indian side.

While the Indian Army warned of &quot;heavy retribution&quot; following the killing of three of its soldiers this week, with the body of one mutilated in a cross-border attack.&nbsp;

The secretary general called on &quot;all involved to prioritise the restoration of calm and stability in order to prevent any further escalation and loss of life&quot;.

Adding that Ban &quot;trusts India and Pakistan can find common ground and work towards sustainable peace&quot;, the world body said it supports &quot;all efforts to reach durable peace and security&quot;. &nbsp;&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from PTI)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Ban Ki-moon urged both India and Pakistan to find common ground and work towards restoring calm and stability in the region

Deeply concerned over the "deterioration" in situation along the Line of Control in India's northern state of Jammu and Kashmir, UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon called on both the South Asain neighbours to restore stability in the region. In a United Nations statement Ban Ki-moon's spokesman said, "The secretary-general is deeply concerned about the deterioration of the situation along the Line of Control in Kashmir in recent days." The remarks come amid heightened tensions between India and Pakistan as both nations accuse each other of repeated ceasefire violations. Pakistan alleged that 12 people, including three of its soldiers were killed in firings from the Indian side. While the Indian Army warned of "heavy retribution" following the killing of three of its soldiers this week, with the body of one mutilated in a cross-border attack. The secretary general called on "all involved to prioritise the restoration of calm and stability in order to prevent any further escalation and loss of life". Adding that Ban "trusts India and Pakistan can find common ground and work towards sustainable peace", the world body said it supports "all efforts to reach durable peace and security". (WION with inputs from PTI)

Deeply concerned about 'deteriorating' situation along Kashmir LoC: UN chief

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, once seen as the front-runner to become the next president of South Korea if he decides to run, has slipped to second place in public support amid a political crisis engulfing the current leader, a poll suggests.

Ban has been expected to join the conservative Saenuri Party of President Park Geun-hye if he runs for the top post in the election scheduled in December 2017, although the UN chief has yet to declare he is considering a run.

Support for Ban slipped to 17.1 per cent in an opinion poll conducted last week according to Realmeter on Monday, the first time he has dropped from first place since June when South Korean pollsters began including him among potential candidates.

He was overtaken by the likely candidate for the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Moon Jae-in, who received 20.9 per cent, the poll, conducted with 2,528 people, showed.

Park&#39;s presidency has been rocked by a scandal involving an old friend, Choi Soon-sil, who is alleged to have used her closeness to the president to meddle in state affairs.

Park, 64, has publicly apologised twice for the scandal but her approval rating has plunged to just 5 percent according to a Gallup poll released on Friday, the lowest since such polling began in 1988.&nbsp;

Ban&#39;s support base was expected primarily to be older voters and those in the conservative southeastern region, the same voter bloc that was core to Park&#39;s election win in 2012.

The decline in Ban&#39;s support came amid a rapid flight of Park and Saenuri supporters, Realmeter said in an analysis.

Park last week named a new prime minister and finance minister but the moves were denounced by opposition parties as a bid to divert attention from the scandal.

Tens of thousands of people, possibly as many as 100,000 according to rally organisers, filled the streets of downtown Seoul on Saturday calling for Park to step down.&nbsp;

(Reuters)

Ban Ki-moon has been overtaken by the likely candidate for the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Moon Jae-in

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, once seen as the front-runner to become the next president of South Korea if he decides to run, has slipped to second place in public support amid a political crisis engulfing the current leader, a poll suggests. Ban has been expected to join the conservative Saenuri Party of President Park Geun-hye if he runs for the top post in the election scheduled in December 2017, although the UN chief has yet to declare he is considering a run. Support for Ban slipped to 17.1 per cent in an opinion poll conducted last week according to Realmeter on Monday, the first time he has dropped from first place since June when South Korean pollsters began including him among potential candidates. He was overtaken by the likely candidate for the opposition Democratic Party of Korea, Moon Jae-in, who received 20.9 per cent, the poll, conducted with 2,528 people, showed. Park's presidency has been rocked by a scandal involving an old friend, Choi Soon-sil, who is alleged to have used her closeness to the president to meddle in state affairs. Park, 64, has publicly apologised twice for the scandal but her approval rating has plunged to just 5 percent according to a Gallup poll released on Friday, the lowest since such polling began in 1988. Ban's support base was expected primarily to be older voters and those in the conservative southeastern region, the same voter bloc that was core to Park's election win in 2012. The decline in Ban's support came amid a rapid flight of Park and Saenuri supporters, Realmeter said in an analysis. Park last week named a new prime minister and finance minister but the moves were denounced by opposition parties as a bid to divert attention from the scandal. Tens of thousands of people, possibly as many as 100,000 according to rally organisers, filled the streets of downtown Seoul on Saturday calling for Park to step down. (Reuters)

UN chief drops to second place as popular choice for South Korea president: Poll

Hungry and angry Haitians looted a United Nations aid truck on Saturday as the&nbsp;UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon visited the country devastated by hurricane Matthew.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

The category 4 hurricane tore through Haiti on October 4, killing more than 900 people and leaving 1.4 million in dire need of humanitarian aid, according to international news agency Reuters.&nbsp;Flooding has also sparked fears of a Cholera outbreak.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Ban Ki-Moon said he witnessed a looting incident in Les Cayes, where he has promised more aid in Haiti, BBC reported. &nbsp;The police and UN peacekeepers used tear gas to disperse the crowd that attacked the truck, the report said. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

&quot;We understand the impatience and the anger of the population who are waiting for emergency relief. We are doing all we can to facilitate the arrival of the assistance soon as possible,&quot; Ban was quoted as saying. &nbsp;He added that the UN will mobilise resources and medical support to stop the cholera epidemic and reach out to support the families of the victims.

&nbsp;

Haiti was earlier struck by a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake which had killed 220,000 people, according to Haitian government figures.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from Reuters)

The police and UN peacekeepers used tear gas to disperse the crowd that attacked the truck

Hungry and angry Haitians looted a United Nations aid truck on Saturday as the UN Secretary General Ban ki-Moon visited the country devastated by hurricane Matthew. The category 4 hurricane tore through Haiti on October 4, killing more than 900 people and leaving 1.4 million in dire need of humanitarian aid, according to international news agency Reuters. Flooding has also sparked fears of a Cholera outbreak. Ban Ki-Moon said he witnessed a looting incident in Les Cayes, where he has promised more aid in Haiti, BBC reported. The police and UN peacekeepers used tear gas to disperse the crowd that attacked the truck, the report said. "We understand the impatience and the anger of the population who are waiting for emergency relief. We are doing all we can to facilitate the arrival of the assistance soon as possible," Ban was quoted as saying. He added that the UN will mobilise resources and medical support to stop the cholera epidemic and reach out to support the families of the victims. Haiti was earlier struck by a catastrophic 7.0 magnitude earthquake which had killed 220,000 people, according to Haitian government figures. (WION with inputs from Reuters)

Hungry and angry Haitians loot food trucks

The European Union&#39;s budget commissioner and the last-minute candidate for the United Nations secretary-general Kristalina Georgieva&nbsp;said she has strong credentials to lead the UN and is as ready as any other candidate who has been in the race for months.&nbsp;

Gerogieva was a last-minute entrant in the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down at the end of the year after serving two five-year terms.&nbsp;

Bulgaria&nbsp;on Wednesday switched its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general, potentially shaking up the race.&nbsp;

&quot;I hope to be judged on merits, not on the duration on the campaign trail,&quot; Georgieva told AFP in an interview on Friday.

&quot;I&#39;m a latecomer not by choice, but by necessity. The Bulgarian government has invited me to join the race now,&quot; said Georgieva.&nbsp;

Georgieva will go before the UN General Assembly for a two-hour question-and-answer session on Monday.

Giorgieva emphasised on the importance of having a woman security general for a job that has been represented by eight men.&nbsp;

Georgieva rose to the ranks of vice-president and corporate secretary in 2008 in the World Bank. She also held the position of European Commissioner for humanitarian aid from 2010 to 2014. A media-savvy person, she even mobilised Europeans to respond to world humanitarian crises including in Syria and Yemen.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

Bulgaria?on Wednesday switched its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general

The European Union's budget commissioner and the last-minute candidate for the United Nations secretary-general Kristalina Georgieva said she has strong credentials to lead the UN and is as ready as any other candidate who has been in the race for months. Gerogieva was a last-minute entrant in the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down at the end of the year after serving two five-year terms. Bulgaria on Wednesday switched its support from UNESCO chief Irina Bokova to Kristalina Georgieva as its candidate for UN secretary-general, potentially shaking up the race. "I hope to be judged on merits, not on the duration on the campaign trail," Georgieva told AFP in an interview on Friday. "I'm a latecomer not by choice, but by necessity. The Bulgarian government has invited me to join the race now," said Georgieva. Georgieva will go before the UN General Assembly for a two-hour question-and-answer session on Monday. Giorgieva emphasised on the importance of having a woman security general for a job that has been represented by eight men. Georgieva rose to the ranks of vice-president and corporate secretary in 2008 in the World Bank. She also held the position of European Commissioner for humanitarian aid from 2010 to 2014. A media-savvy person, she even mobilised Europeans to respond to world humanitarian crises including in Syria and Yemen. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Bulgaria's Georgieva shakes up United Nations general-secretary race

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United Nations secretary-general Ban ki-moon on Friday urged India and Pakistan resolve their differences through diplomacy and dialogue, and even offered to act as a mediator.&nbsp;

He asked both South Asian nations &quot;to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation.&quot;

The UN chief&#39;s statement comes after Pakistan&#39;s envoy Maleeha Lodhi prompted Ban to personally mediate the situation.&nbsp;

Lodhi told AFP &quot;This is a dangerous moment for the region,&quot; referring to the recent &quot;surgical strikes&quot; by India on militant launchpads near the Line of Control (LoC), inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir.&nbsp;

&quot;The time has come for bold intervention by him if we are to avoid a crisis, because we can see a crisis building up.&quot;

India&#39;s mission to the United Nations defended its actions saying &quot;our response was a measured counter-terrorist strike.&quot;

&quot;India has no desire to aggravate the situation,&quot; and that &quot;it is reflective of our desire to respond proportionately to clear and imminent threat posed by terrorists in that instance. With our objectives having been met that effort has since ceased.&quot;&nbsp;

Tensions have been rife between the two neighbours since India&#39;s surgical strike on Wednesday, which was in response to the Uri attack on September 18 in which four militants had infiltrated the Indian army base and killed 19 Indian soldiers.&nbsp;

Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman said the secretary-general &quot;would welcome all proposals&quot; or initiatives aimed at de-escalation.&quot;

He added that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which looks into ceasefire violations along the LoC, will report to the UN chief on the latest incidents of ceasefire violations.&nbsp;

(WION with inputs from AFP)

UN's observer mission to report on ceasefire violations in Kashmir as tension escalates between India and Pakistan

United Nations secretary-general Ban ki-moon on Friday urged India and Pakistan resolve their differences through diplomacy and dialogue, and even offered to act as a mediator. He asked both South Asian nations "to exercise maximum restraint and take immediate steps to de-escalate the situation." The UN chief's statement comes after Pakistan's envoy Maleeha Lodhi prompted Ban to personally mediate the situation. Lodhi told AFP "This is a dangerous moment for the region," referring to the recent "surgical strikes" by India on militant launchpads near the Line of Control (LoC), inside Pakistan-controlled Kashmir. "The time has come for bold intervention by him if we are to avoid a crisis, because we can see a crisis building up." India's mission to the United Nations defended its actions saying "our response was a measured counter-terrorist strike." "India has no desire to aggravate the situation," and that "it is reflective of our desire to respond proportionately to clear and imminent threat posed by terrorists in that instance. With our objectives having been met that effort has since ceased." Tensions have been rife between the two neighbours since India's surgical strike on Wednesday, which was in response to the Uri attack on September 18 in which four militants had infiltrated the Indian army base and killed 19 Indian soldiers. Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman said the secretary-general "would welcome all proposals" or initiatives aimed at de-escalation." He added that the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which looks into ceasefire violations along the LoC, will report to the UN chief on the latest incidents of ceasefire violations. (WION with inputs from AFP)

UN urges India, Pakistan to exercise restraint, offers to mediate over Kashmir issue

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon will stress on the importance of development and human rights during his visit to Sri Lanka and Myanmar next week, which are a part of his five-country Asia tour. 
 
The UN chief arrives in Myanmar on Tuesday where he will hold talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the country&rsquo;s de facto prime minister. 
 
He is also expected to address a peace conference organised by Suu Kyi, which includes ethnic rebel groups and aims to end decades of fighting. 
 
Ban will also meet President Htin Kyaw, general Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar&#39;s armed forces, and some political and civil society representatives. 
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<h5>The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army&#39;s conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels.</h5>
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The UN has criticised Myanmar&#39;s treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and have been living in camp. 
 
The UN chief will discuss human rights and development during the talks, according to his spokesperson.Stephane Dujarric. 
 
He visits Sri Lanka on Wednesday and will meet President Maithripala Sirisena. 
 
The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army&#39;s conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. 
 
Ban will focus on the &quot;promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development,&quot; Dujarric said. 
 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

The UN-chief Ban Ki-moon will meet ethnic rebel groups in Myanmar and will focus on the 'promotion of inclusive societies' in Sri Lanka

United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon will stress on the importance of development and human rights during his visit to Sri Lanka and Myanmar next week, which are a part of his five-country Asia tour. The UN chief arrives in Myanmar on Tuesday where he will hold talks with Aung San Suu Kyi, the country’s de facto prime minister. He is also expected to address a peace conference organised by Suu Kyi, which includes ethnic rebel groups and aims to end decades of fighting. Ban will also meet President Htin Kyaw, general Min Aung Hlaing, commander-in-chief of Myanmar's armed forces, and some political and civil society representatives. The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army's conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. The UN has criticised Myanmar's treatment of the Muslim Rohingya minority, who are denied citizenship and have been living in camp. The UN chief will discuss human rights and development during the talks, according to his spokesperson.Stephane Dujarric. He visits Sri Lanka on Wednesday and will meet President Maithripala Sirisena. The UN is pushing for the establishment of a special court to try war crimes committed during the Sri Lankan army's conflict with Tamil Tiger rebels. Ban will focus on the "promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development," Dujarric said. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Human rights on Ban's Sri Lanka, Myanmar agenda

Amid reports of Pakistani women in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir offering their bangles to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for &#39;not doing enough&#39; on the Kashmir issue, the UN said that it fully supports people&#39;s rights to express their opinions peacefully on issues that concern them. 
 
On Tuesday (August 23), hundreds of women in Muzzafarbad, the main city in PoK, held up their bangles -- as an insult hurled at the UN&#39;s head over perceived inaction over violence in Kashmir. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Violence has escalated in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Burhan Wani. Clashes between protestors and security forces that began on July 9 have killed 66 and injured thousands more in the worst violence to hit the restive region since 2010.&nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
&quot;I think we are... We are fully supportive of everyone&#39;s right to demonstrate their opinions peacefully about issues that they care about,&quot; Ban&#39;s spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
Ban added he is closely following the clashes in Kashmir and has called on all political parties to &quot;exercise restraint&quot; to avoid further violence. &nbsp; 
&nbsp; 
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Hundreds of women in Muzzafarabad offered their bangles to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon over perceived inaction over Kashmir violence

Amid reports of Pakistani women in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir offering their bangles to the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon for 'not doing enough' on the Kashmir issue, the UN said that it fully supports people's rights to express their opinions peacefully on issues that concern them. On Tuesday (August 23), hundreds of women in Muzzafarbad, the main city in PoK, held up their bangles -- as an insult hurled at the UN's head over perceived inaction over violence in Kashmir. Violence has escalated in the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Burhan Wani. Clashes between protestors and security forces that began on July 9 have killed 66 and injured thousands more in the worst violence to hit the restive region since 2010. "I think we are... We are fully supportive of everyone's right to demonstrate their opinions peacefully about issues that they care about," Ban's spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told reporters. Ban added he is closely following the clashes in Kashmir and has called on all political parties to "exercise restraint" to avoid further violence. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Support people's right to protest: UN Secretary General on reports of PoK protest

Portugal&#39;s former prime minister Antonio Guterres held the lead in the race to be the next UN secretary-general after a second secret straw poll on Friday, diplomats said. 
 
Guterres received 11 &quot;encourage&quot; votes, two &quot;discourage&quot; votes and two &quot;no opinion&quot; during the informal vote by the 15-member Security Council, a slightly weaker showing than in the first round last month. 
 
But the 67-year-old Guterres managed to increase his lead over the other candidates in the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down after 10 years as UN chief at the end of this year. 
 
Serbia&#39;s former foreign minister Vuk Jeremic made a surprisingly strong showing, taking the second spot with eight &quot;encourage&quot; votes, four &quot;discourage&quot; votes and three &quot;no opinion&quot;. 
 
Argentina&#39;s Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra climbed up the rankings, taking third place and becoming the leading woman in the race. 
 
Malcorra, a UN insider who was Ban&#39;s chief of staff, picked up eight encouragements, six discouragements and one no opinion, moving up from eighth place in the first round. 
 
Slovenia&#39;s ex-president Danilo Turk, who was the runner-up in the first round, dropped to fourth place, with seven encouragements, five discouragements and three &quot;no opinion&quot;. 
 
UNESCO chief Irina Bokova of Bulgaria also fell from her third-place ranking to fifth place, with seven encouragements, seven discouragements and one &quot;no opinion&quot;. 
 
Guterres, who served as the UN&#39;s refugee chief for 10 years and as Portugal&#39;s socialist prime minister from 1995 to 2002, came out on top during the first round with 12 &quot;encourage&quot; votes and three &quot;no opinion&quot;. 
 
Diplomats speculated that one of the two negative votes cast in this round may have come from veto power Russia in a bid to block or slow down his advance. 
 
&quot;Guterres is almost there,&quot; commented a diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 
 
 
Clark drops in ranking 
 
Lower down the rankings, New Zealand&#39;s ex-prime minister and head of the UN development program, Helen Clark, lost some ground as well, taking the number seven spot after Macedonia&#39;s ex-foreign minister Srgjan Kerim. 
 
Clark picked up six encouragements and eight &quot;discourage&quot; votes along with one &quot;no opinion.&quot; In the first-round rankings, she was sixth. 
 
The last four spots went to former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres, ex-foreign minister Natalia Gherman of Moldova, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak and Igor Luksic, a former acting prime minister of Montenegro. 
 
The shakeup in this round meant that the council will still be holding several straw polls to try to reach a consensus on who should take the helm of the United Nations. 
 
Security Council members are facing calls to pick the first woman after eight men in the job, and to give preference to a candidate from eastern Europe, the only region that has yet to be represented in the post. 
 
Of the 11 candidates, seven are from eastern Europe. Five are women. 
 
The secret vote caps a new, more open process that for the first time in the UN&#39;s history allowed candidates to appear at hearings to make their pitch for the top job before the General Assembly. 
 
The results of the straw poll were not publicly announced, but the council president communicated them to the candidates to give them an indication of the level of support in the council. 
 
Some candidates privately said ahead of the vote that they would closely look at the results to decide whether to stay in the race. 
 
Croatia&#39;s ex-foreign minister Vesna Pusic pulled out on Thursday after she picked up the lowest score in the first round. 
 
Council diplomats are expecting a nominee to emerge in October, who will then be endorsed by the General Assembly. 
 
The new UN secretary-general will begin his or her five-year term on January 1. 
 
(AFP) 
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Guterres is in a better position to replace Ban Ki-moon after the Security Council's second round of secret votes

Portugal's former prime minister Antonio Guterres held the lead in the race to be the next UN secretary-general after a second secret straw poll on Friday, diplomats said. Guterres received 11 "encourage" votes, two "discourage" votes and two "no opinion" during the informal vote by the 15-member Security Council, a slightly weaker showing than in the first round last month. But the 67-year-old Guterres managed to increase his lead over the other candidates in the race to succeed Ban Ki-moon, who steps down after 10 years as UN chief at the end of this year. Serbia's former foreign minister Vuk Jeremic made a surprisingly strong showing, taking the second spot with eight "encourage" votes, four "discourage" votes and three "no opinion". Argentina's Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra climbed up the rankings, taking third place and becoming the leading woman in the race. Malcorra, a UN insider who was Ban's chief of staff, picked up eight encouragements, six discouragements and one no opinion, moving up from eighth place in the first round. Slovenia's ex-president Danilo Turk, who was the runner-up in the first round, dropped to fourth place, with seven encouragements, five discouragements and three "no opinion". UNESCO chief Irina Bokova of Bulgaria also fell from her third-place ranking to fifth place, with seven encouragements, seven discouragements and one "no opinion". Guterres, who served as the UN's refugee chief for 10 years and as Portugal's socialist prime minister from 1995 to 2002, came out on top during the first round with 12 "encourage" votes and three "no opinion". Diplomats speculated that one of the two negative votes cast in this round may have come from veto power Russia in a bid to block or slow down his advance. "Guterres is almost there," commented a diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity. Clark drops in ranking Lower down the rankings, New Zealand's ex-prime minister and head of the UN development program, Helen Clark, lost some ground as well, taking the number seven spot after Macedonia's ex-foreign minister Srgjan Kerim. Clark picked up six encouragements and eight "discourage" votes along with one "no opinion." In the first-round rankings, she was sixth. The last four spots went to former UN climate negotiator Christiana Figueres, ex-foreign minister Natalia Gherman of Moldova, Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak and Igor Luksic, a former acting prime minister of Montenegro. The shakeup in this round meant that the council will still be holding several straw polls to try to reach a consensus on who should take the helm of the United Nations. Security Council members are facing calls to pick the first woman after eight men in the job, and to give preference to a candidate from eastern Europe, the only region that has yet to be represented in the post. Of the 11 candidates, seven are from eastern Europe. Five are women. The secret vote caps a new, more open process that for the first time in the UN's history allowed candidates to appear at hearings to make their pitch for the top job before the General Assembly. The results of the straw poll were not publicly announced, but the council president communicated them to the candidates to give them an indication of the level of support in the council. Some candidates privately said ahead of the vote that they would closely look at the results to decide whether to stay in the race. Croatia's ex-foreign minister Vesna Pusic pulled out on Thursday after she picked up the lowest score in the first round. Council diplomats are expecting a nominee to emerge in October, who will then be endorsed by the General Assembly. The new UN secretary-general will begin his or her five-year term on January 1. (AFP)

Portugal's former Prime Minister Guterres leads race to be next UN secretary general

The United States, Japan, and 10 other countries have requested a UN investigation of North Korea&#39;s ballistic missile tests in a move that could lead to targeted sanctions, according to a joint letter obtained by AFP on Wednesday. 
 
Ten Security Council members along with Australia and South Korea asked the UN sanctions committee to &quot;review carefully the known details&quot; about the July 18 launch of three Scud ballistic missiles and a No Dong intermediate-range missile. 
 
The investigation could identify individuals and companies involved in North Korea&#39;s missile program who could face targeted sanctions including a global visa ban and assets freeze. 
 
&quot;As the DPRK proceeds to develop new and destabilizing weapon systems, the Security Council should be prepared to respond with further significant measures,&quot; said the letter sent to the sanctions committee on July 28. 
 
The sanctions committee is asked to &quot;take appropriate action&quot; in response to Pyongyang&#39;s launch of the missiles which are in violation of Security Council resolutions. 
 
Aside from the United States and Japan, the request was endorsed by council members Britain, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, and Uruguay. China, North Korea&#39;s sole ally, and Russia did not back the request. 
 
&quot;We will cooperate fully with the committee and its panel of experts in their investigation of these incidents,&quot; said the letter. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested an atomic device in 2006. 
 
Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, addressed the recent action taken by the DPRK. &quot;I think the fact that it reportedly hit into the exclusive economic zone of Japan is indeed deeply troubling, and again I think the Secretary-General as what I&#39;d just said, would reiterate and renew his call to the DPRK to halt any such activities which are clearly not conducive to reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula,&quot; said Dujarric. 
 
The council in March adopted its toughest sanctions resolution to date, banning exports of coal, iron and other minerals from North Korea and imposing other restrictions, in particular in the banking sector. 
 
At the request of the United States and Japan, the council met on Wednesday behind closed doors to discuss Pyongyang&#39;s latest missile launch, which for the first time, landed in Japanese-controlled waters. 
 
North Korea fired two intermediate-range missiles simultaneously, but one appeared to explode on takeoff. The second missile landed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), some 155 miles (250 kilometers) off Japan&#39;s northern coast and within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 
 
British deputy ambassador Peter Wilson said the council should consider further action if North Korea presses on with the provocative missile launches. 
 
&quot;I think we should be looking at every means to convince the North Koreans to come into the fold and to abide by international commitments,&quot; Wilson told reporters. 
 
The council has repeatedly condemned North Korea`s missile launches, but a US-drafted statement circulated last month following an apparent submarine-launched missile test has bogged down in discussion with China. 
 
On June 23, the council adopted a statement condemning North Korea for two medium-range missile tests. North Korea has carried out nine tests involving missile technology since the sanctions resolution was adopted in March. 
 
(AFP)

The UN council in March adopted its toughest sanctions resolution to date, banning exports of coal, iron and other minerals from North Korea

The United States, Japan, and 10 other countries have requested a UN investigation of North Korea's ballistic missile tests in a move that could lead to targeted sanctions, according to a joint letter obtained by AFP on Wednesday. Ten Security Council members along with Australia and South Korea asked the UN sanctions committee to "review carefully the known details" about the July 18 launch of three Scud ballistic missiles and a No Dong intermediate-range missile. The investigation could identify individuals and companies involved in North Korea's missile program who could face targeted sanctions including a global visa ban and assets freeze. "As the DPRK proceeds to develop new and destabilizing weapon systems, the Security Council should be prepared to respond with further significant measures," said the letter sent to the sanctions committee on July 28. The sanctions committee is asked to "take appropriate action" in response to Pyongyang's launch of the missiles which are in violation of Security Council resolutions. Aside from the United States and Japan, the request was endorsed by council members Britain, France, Malaysia, New Zealand, Senegal, Spain, Ukraine, and Uruguay. China, North Korea's sole ally, and Russia did not back the request. "We will cooperate fully with the committee and its panel of experts in their investigation of these incidents," said the letter. North Korea has been hit by five sets of UN sanctions since it first tested an atomic device in 2006. Stephane Dujarric, the spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, addressed the recent action taken by the DPRK. "I think the fact that it reportedly hit into the exclusive economic zone of Japan is indeed deeply troubling, and again I think the Secretary-General as what I'd just said, would reiterate and renew his call to the DPRK to halt any such activities which are clearly not conducive to reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula," said Dujarric. The council in March adopted its toughest sanctions resolution to date, banning exports of coal, iron and other minerals from North Korea and imposing other restrictions, in particular in the banking sector. At the request of the United States and Japan, the council met on Wednesday behind closed doors to discuss Pyongyang's latest missile launch, which for the first time, landed in Japanese-controlled waters. North Korea fired two intermediate-range missiles simultaneously, but one appeared to explode on takeoff. The second missile landed in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), some 155 miles (250 kilometers) off Japan's northern coast and within its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). British deputy ambassador Peter Wilson said the council should consider further action if North Korea presses on with the provocative missile launches. "I think we should be looking at every means to convince the North Koreans to come into the fold and to abide by international commitments," Wilson told reporters. The council has repeatedly condemned North Korea`s missile launches, but a US-drafted statement circulated last month following an apparent submarine-launched missile test has bogged down in discussion with China. On June 23, the council adopted a statement condemning North Korea for two medium-range missile tests. North Korea has carried out nine tests involving missile technology since the sanctions resolution was adopted in March. (AFP)

US, allies push United Nations to condemn North Korean missile test

Ten of the 12 candidates vying to be the next United Nations Secretary-General took part in live televised debates on Tuesday, a first for the world body, but attempts to bring unprecedented transparency to the race will not extend to the Security Council selection process. 
 
The 193-member UN General Assembly has sought to lift a veil of secrecy that has surrounded the election of the UN chief for the past 70 years by requiring public nominations and holding campaign-style town hall events with each candidate. 
 
That transparency extended to two debates, with five candidates in each group, in the General Assembly on Tuesday, which was broadcast live around the world on the Al Jazeera television network and on the UN website. 
 
Candidates were pressed by the Al Jazeera hosts, and took questions from the audience, on issues such as leadership style, climate change, the International Criminal Court, the civil war in Syria and the recent eruption of fighting in South Sudan, where UN peacekeepers are struggling to protect civilians.&nbsp; 
 
However, when the 15-member Security Council starts holding informal secret ballots next week to choose a candidate to recommend to the General Assembly for election later this year, the results of those closed-door polls will not be made public. 
 
Council members will be given a ballot for each candidate with the options of encourage, discourage and no opinion.&nbsp; 
 
The council will tally the ballots and inform the nominating states of the results for their candidate, but the overall results will not be made known to the public.&nbsp; 
 
Ultimately, the five nations that hold a veto on the security council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - have to agree on a candidate and there is no requirement for them to pay attention to the popularity of candidates with the General Assembly. The council hopes to agree on a candidate by October, diplomats say.&nbsp; 
 
Since the power to authorize military force or sanctions lies with the Security Council, the UN chief has little more than a bully pulpit. Many diplomats say the veto powers prefer a &quot;secretary&quot; rather than a &quot;general&quot;. 
 
Strength wanted 
 
Yet Britain`s UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said on Tuesday that the more transparent process, particularly the individual candidate town halls with the General Assembly, had shown most member states wanted a strong secretary-general.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;That`s an emerging consensus which wouldn`t have been obvious without these changes in the (selection) process. I think it makes it harder for someone who isn`t that strong to be chosen,&quot; Rycroft said. 
 
The search for a successor to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister who steps down at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms, has sparked a push by more than a quarter of the 193 UN states for the world body`s first female leader. 
 
Discussion on the possibility of a female secretary-general and the role of women in the world body received enthusiastic applause during Tuesday`s debates.&nbsp; 
 
Half the candidates so far are women: UN cultural organization UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria; former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic; Moldova`s former Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman; former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the UN Development Programme; Argentinian Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra; and former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica.&nbsp; 
 
Also in the race are Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic; former Slovenian President Danilo Turk; former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who is also a former Portuguese prime minister; former Serbian Foreign&nbsp; 
Minister Vuk Jeremic; former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim; and Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak.&nbsp; 
 
Kerim and Lajcak did not take part in Tuesday`s debates. 
 
(Reuters)

UN General Assembly has sought to lift a veil of secrecy that has surrounded the election of the UN chief for the past 70 years

Ten of the 12 candidates vying to be the next United Nations Secretary-General took part in live televised debates on Tuesday, a first for the world body, but attempts to bring unprecedented transparency to the race will not extend to the Security Council selection process. The 193-member UN General Assembly has sought to lift a veil of secrecy that has surrounded the election of the UN chief for the past 70 years by requiring public nominations and holding campaign-style town hall events with each candidate. That transparency extended to two debates, with five candidates in each group, in the General Assembly on Tuesday, which was broadcast live around the world on the Al Jazeera television network and on the UN website. Candidates were pressed by the Al Jazeera hosts, and took questions from the audience, on issues such as leadership style, climate change, the International Criminal Court, the civil war in Syria and the recent eruption of fighting in South Sudan, where UN peacekeepers are struggling to protect civilians. However, when the 15-member Security Council starts holding informal secret ballots next week to choose a candidate to recommend to the General Assembly for election later this year, the results of those closed-door polls will not be made public. Council members will be given a ballot for each candidate with the options of encourage, discourage and no opinion. The council will tally the ballots and inform the nominating states of the results for their candidate, but the overall results will not be made known to the public. Ultimately, the five nations that hold a veto on the security council - the United States, Britain, France, Russia and China - have to agree on a candidate and there is no requirement for them to pay attention to the popularity of candidates with the General Assembly. The council hopes to agree on a candidate by October, diplomats say. Since the power to authorize military force or sanctions lies with the Security Council, the UN chief has little more than a bully pulpit. Many diplomats say the veto powers prefer a "secretary" rather than a "general". Strength wanted Yet Britain`s UN Ambassador Matthew Rycroft said on Tuesday that the more transparent process, particularly the individual candidate town halls with the General Assembly, had shown most member states wanted a strong secretary-general. "That`s an emerging consensus which wouldn`t have been obvious without these changes in the (selection) process. I think it makes it harder for someone who isn`t that strong to be chosen," Rycroft said. The search for a successor to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister who steps down at the end of 2016 after two five-year terms, has sparked a push by more than a quarter of the 193 UN states for the world body`s first female leader. Discussion on the possibility of a female secretary-general and the role of women in the world body received enthusiastic applause during Tuesday`s debates. Half the candidates so far are women: UN cultural organization UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova of Bulgaria; former Croatian Foreign Minister Vesna Pusic; Moldova`s former Foreign Minister Natalia Gherman; former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, who heads the UN Development Programme; Argentinian Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra; and former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres of Costa Rica. Also in the race are Montenegro Foreign Minister Igor Luksic; former Slovenian President Danilo Turk; former UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, who is also a former Portuguese prime minister; former Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic; former Macedonian Foreign Minister Srgjan Kerim; and Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak. Kerim and Lajcak did not take part in Tuesday`s debates. (Reuters)

Next UN chief ballots remain secret, despite televised debates

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers in the revived fighting between South Sudan&#39;s rival army factions in Juba. 
 
&quot;Let me start by expressing my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who have been killed in the fighting that has consumed Juba over the past four days. I condemn the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers and one UN national staff,&quot; the secretary-general told reporters. 
 
&quot;The renewed fighting is outrageous. It is yet another grievous setback. It deepens the country&#39;s suffering;It makes a mockery of commitments to peace. Many people have been killed in heavy fighting. There are growing fears that many more could die in another round of violence,&quot; said&nbsp;Ban. 
 
He urged leaders of South Sudan to do everything they can to end the dispute. 
 
&quot;My message to President Salva Kiir and first Vice President Riek Machar is clear: Do everything in your power to deescalate the hostilities immediately; order your respective forces to withdraw,&quot; said Ban. 
 
South Sudan&#39;s President Salva Kiir on Monday evening has ordered a ceasefire between his government troops and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar in the capital Juba. 
 
The UN mission in South Sudan on Monday reported heavy fighting in Juba, including areas close to its compounds in Jebel and Tomping. 
 
The latest round of violence followed deadly clashes between rival factions on Friday and Sunday in the capital city. 
 
South Sudan&#39;s Health Ministry says at least 271 people were killed in Friday&#39;s clash. 
 
The exact number of those killed fighting since Sunday is unknown. 
 
On Sunday, the UN Security Council said in a press statement that the 15-nation UN body condemned in the strongest terms the escalation of fighting in Juba, and they expressed their sympathies and condolences to the families of Chinese peacekeepers who were killed or injured in the attacks. 
 
(Reuters)

The UN mission in South Sudan on Monday reported heavy fighting in Juba, including areas close to its compounds in Jebel and Tomping

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday condemned the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers in the revived fighting between South Sudan's rival army factions in Juba. "Let me start by expressing my deep condolences to the families and loved ones of all those who have been killed in the fighting that has consumed Juba over the past four days. I condemn the killing of two Chinese peacekeepers and one UN national staff," the secretary-general told reporters. "The renewed fighting is outrageous. It is yet another grievous setback. It deepens the country's suffering;It makes a mockery of commitments to peace. Many people have been killed in heavy fighting. There are growing fears that many more could die in another round of violence," said Ban. He urged leaders of South Sudan to do everything they can to end the dispute. "My message to President Salva Kiir and first Vice President Riek Machar is clear: Do everything in your power to deescalate the hostilities immediately; order your respective forces to withdraw," said Ban. South Sudan's President Salva Kiir on Monday evening has ordered a ceasefire between his government troops and forces loyal to Vice President Riek Machar in the capital Juba. The UN mission in South Sudan on Monday reported heavy fighting in Juba, including areas close to its compounds in Jebel and Tomping. The latest round of violence followed deadly clashes between rival factions on Friday and Sunday in the capital city. South Sudan's Health Ministry says at least 271 people were killed in Friday's clash. The exact number of those killed fighting since Sunday is unknown. On Sunday, the UN Security Council said in a press statement that the 15-nation UN body condemned in the strongest terms the escalation of fighting in Juba, and they expressed their sympathies and condolences to the families of Chinese peacekeepers who were killed or injured in the attacks. (Reuters)

Ban Ki-moon condemns killing of 2 Chinese peacekeepers in South Sudan

Condemning the terror attack at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk International airport that killed 36 people and injured many others, the US and UN has called for stepped-up cooperation in fighting terrorism and has vowed &quot;steadfast&quot; support for Turkey. 
 
&quot;Ataturk international airport, like Brussels airport which was attacked earlier this year, is a symbol of international connections and the ties that bind us together,&quot; White House press secretary Josh Earnest said yesterday. 
 
US President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by his assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism Lisa Monaco. 
 
&quot;Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those killed, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. We remain steadfast in our support for Turkey, our NATO ally and partner, along with all of our friends and allies around the world, as we continue to confront the threat of terrorism,&quot; he said. 
 
Condemning the terrorist attack at Istanbul&#39;s Ataturk International airport, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Turkey. 
 
&quot;The Secretary-General hopes that the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice. He stands firmly by Turkey as it confronts this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism,&quot; his spokesman said in a statement. 
 
US officials are in close touch with Turkish authorities throughout the investigation, state department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said. 
 
&quot;We stand in solidarity with our NATO ally Turkey in combating the threat of terrorism. Sadly, this murderous attack is only the latest in a series of attacks aimed at killing and maiming innocent civilians,&quot; he said. 
 
&quot;Such attacks will only reinforce our determination to work with the government of Turkey to counter the scourge of terrorism and support all those across the region who are working to promote peace and reconciliation,&quot; Toner said in a statement. 
 
&quot;Today, we have another horrific event - senseless violence against innocent civilians. Freedom-loving people around the world must not waver in our commitment to defeat violent extremism,&quot; said senator James Lankford. He serves on the homeland security and intelligence committees. 
 
&quot;We continue to monitor reports of the horrific terror attack in Turkey. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and all affected,&quot; tweeted Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful senate foreign relations committee. 
 
&quot;Terrorism will not prevail. We stand with our ally Turkey in the face of this heinous attack,&quot; tweeted Paul Ryan, speaker of the US house of representatives. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m horrified by the attacks in Istanbul, and my heart is with the victims and their families. I stand with the people of Turkey against terrorism,&quot; tweeted congresswoman Susan Brooks. 
 
(PTI)

Ban Ki-moon condemned the attack and stressed on the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism

Condemning the terror attack at Istanbul's Ataturk International airport that killed 36 people and injured many others, the US and UN has called for stepped-up cooperation in fighting terrorism and has vowed "steadfast" support for Turkey. "Ataturk international airport, like Brussels airport which was attacked earlier this year, is a symbol of international connections and the ties that bind us together," White House press secretary Josh Earnest said yesterday. US President Barack Obama was briefed on the explosions by his assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism Lisa Monaco. "Our deepest condolences go out to the families and loved ones of those killed, and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured. We remain steadfast in our support for Turkey, our NATO ally and partner, along with all of our friends and allies around the world, as we continue to confront the threat of terrorism," he said. Condemning the terrorist attack at Istanbul's Ataturk International airport, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, expressed his deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of Turkey. "The Secretary-General hopes that the perpetrators of this crime will be identified and brought to justice. He stands firmly by Turkey as it confronts this threat and stresses the need to intensify regional and international efforts to combat terrorism and violent extremism," his spokesman said in a statement. US officials are in close touch with Turkish authorities throughout the investigation, state department deputy spokesman Mark Toner said. "We stand in solidarity with our NATO ally Turkey in combating the threat of terrorism. Sadly, this murderous attack is only the latest in a series of attacks aimed at killing and maiming innocent civilians," he said. "Such attacks will only reinforce our determination to work with the government of Turkey to counter the scourge of terrorism and support all those across the region who are working to promote peace and reconciliation," Toner said in a statement. "Today, we have another horrific event - senseless violence against innocent civilians. Freedom-loving people around the world must not waver in our commitment to defeat violent extremism," said senator James Lankford. He serves on the homeland security and intelligence committees. "We continue to monitor reports of the horrific terror attack in Turkey. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and all affected," tweeted Senator Bob Corker, chairman of the powerful senate foreign relations committee. "Terrorism will not prevail. We stand with our ally Turkey in the face of this heinous attack," tweeted Paul Ryan, speaker of the US house of representatives. "I'm horrified by the attacks in Istanbul, and my heart is with the victims and their families. I stand with the people of Turkey against terrorism," tweeted congresswoman Susan Brooks. (PTI)

US, UN condemn terror attack on Turkey international airport

Saudi-led airstrikes killed at least seven people in Yemen on Sunday, residents said, as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon flew to Kuwait to try and galvanise peace talks on the conflict. 
 
The Houthi-run Saba news agency said five citizens were killed in two air strikes in Khawlan district, southeast of the capital Sanaa. 
 
Residents confirmed that five people died in the attack but did not say if they were civilians or armed members of the Houthis, a movement from the Zaydi branch of Shi&#39;ite Islam. 
 
Not targetting civillians: Saudi-led coalition&nbsp; 
Yemen is more than 15 months into a war involving a Saudi-led Arab coalition that intervened to prevent Iran-allied Houthis, who control the capital, from completing a takeover of the country and overthrowing the government. 
 
In southern Yemen, residents said two women died in an air strike on the home of a merchant in the Qubaita district, located between the Taiz and Lahej provinces. Another Yemeni died in Saada province by shelling from the Saudi side of the border, the Houthi-run al-Masirah television reported. 
 
There was no immediate comment from the coalition on the reports. The Saudi-led coalition says it does not target civilians in Yemen and has been observing a truce, acting only in response to Houthi violations. 
 
Ban urges delegations to avoid driving situation to a crisis&nbsp; 
Ban hopes to push the combatants to make concessions. In a speech to Yemeni negotiators from the Saudi-backed government on one side and the Houthis on the other, he said they must try to learn from the example of Colombian rebels and the government who signed a deal last week in Cuba after decades of war. 
 
&quot;The agreement last week demonstrated the perseverance of all those who work to end violent conflict not through the destruction of the adversary, but through the patient search for compromise,&quot; Ban said, according to a text received from the world body. 
 
&quot;I urge both delegations to avoid driving the situation to a crisis, and work responsibly and with flexibility for a comprehensive solution that would end the conflict,&quot; he added. 
 
The Yemen war has killed more than 6,400 people and caused a severe humanitarian crisis in a country that was already one of the poorest in the world. Yemen shares a long border with the world&#39;s top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia. 
 
Officials say the talks have been going in circles: The Houthis demand an agreement on the fate of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the formation of a broad government that would include them before any withdrawal from cities they seized. 
 
The Yemeni government insists that any new government would only be formed after the Houthis hand over their weapons and turn into a political party. 
 
(Reuters)&nbsp; 
 
 
 
 
 
&nbsp;

The Yemen war has killed more than 6,400 people causing severe humanitarian crisis in a country that was already one of the poorest in world

Saudi-led airstrikes killed at least seven people in Yemen on Sunday, residents said, as U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon flew to Kuwait to try and galvanise peace talks on the conflict. The Houthi-run Saba news agency said five citizens were killed in two air strikes in Khawlan district, southeast of the capital Sanaa. Residents confirmed that five people died in the attack but did not say if they were civilians or armed members of the Houthis, a movement from the Zaydi branch of Shi'ite Islam. Not targetting civillians: Saudi-led coalition Yemen is more than 15 months into a war involving a Saudi-led Arab coalition that intervened to prevent Iran-allied Houthis, who control the capital, from completing a takeover of the country and overthrowing the government. In southern Yemen, residents said two women died in an air strike on the home of a merchant in the Qubaita district, located between the Taiz and Lahej provinces. Another Yemeni died in Saada province by shelling from the Saudi side of the border, the Houthi-run al-Masirah television reported. There was no immediate comment from the coalition on the reports. The Saudi-led coalition says it does not target civilians in Yemen and has been observing a truce, acting only in response to Houthi violations. Ban urges delegations to avoid driving situation to a crisis Ban hopes to push the combatants to make concessions. In a speech to Yemeni negotiators from the Saudi-backed government on one side and the Houthis on the other, he said they must try to learn from the example of Colombian rebels and the government who signed a deal last week in Cuba after decades of war. "The agreement last week demonstrated the perseverance of all those who work to end violent conflict not through the destruction of the adversary, but through the patient search for compromise," Ban said, according to a text received from the world body. "I urge both delegations to avoid driving the situation to a crisis, and work responsibly and with flexibility for a comprehensive solution that would end the conflict," he added. The Yemen war has killed more than 6,400 people and caused a severe humanitarian crisis in a country that was already one of the poorest in the world. Yemen shares a long border with the world's top oil exporter, Saudi Arabia. Officials say the talks have been going in circles: The Houthis demand an agreement on the fate of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi and the formation of a broad government that would include them before any withdrawal from cities they seized. The Yemeni government insists that any new government would only be formed after the Houthis hand over their weapons and turn into a political party. (Reuters)

Seven killed in Saudi-led strikes in Yemen, UN chief pushes combatants to make concessions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana late Wednesday night ahead of the signing of an agreement between Colombia&#39;s government and leftist FARC rebels. 
 
The two sides are slated to sign an agreement to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire today. 
 
After more than three years of fraught talks in the Cuban capital, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fuelled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. 
 
The accord will be signed in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. 
 
The agreement would leave the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. 
 
&quot;I congratulate (Colombian) President (Juan Manuel) Santos and the Colombian government. I congratulate the Revolutionary Armed Forces (of Colombia), the FARC and their commander, Timoleon for this historic advancement, this gigantic step. Peace in Colombia is our peace,&quot; Maduro said, referring to Londono by another of his aliases. 
 
Ban and Maduro were expected to attend the signing ceremony along with Cuban President Raul Castro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. 
 
The ceremony is expected to be held at 12:00 EDT (1600 GMT) 
 
(Reuters)

The agreement ends what started as a 1960s peasant revolt but ended up killing 220,000 and displacing millions

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in Havana late Wednesday night ahead of the signing of an agreement between Colombia's government and leftist FARC rebels. The two sides are slated to sign an agreement to end hostilities with a definitive ceasefire today. After more than three years of fraught talks in the Cuban capital, the agreement brings into sight an end to a conflict that began as a 1960s peasant revolt before exploding into a cocaine-fuelled war that has killed at least 220,000 people and displaced millions. The accord will be signed in Havana by President Juan Manuel Santos and Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, rebel leader Rodrigo Londono, better known by his nom de guerre Timochenko. The agreement would leave the two sides just a step away from resolving the longest-running conflict in the Western Hemisphere. "I congratulate (Colombian) President (Juan Manuel) Santos and the Colombian government. I congratulate the Revolutionary Armed Forces (of Colombia), the FARC and their commander, Timoleon for this historic advancement, this gigantic step. Peace in Colombia is our peace," Maduro said, referring to Londono by another of his aliases. Ban and Maduro were expected to attend the signing ceremony along with Cuban President Raul Castro and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet. The ceremony is expected to be held at 12:00 EDT (1600 GMT) (Reuters)

Ban Ki-moon and Venezuela's Maduro arrive for Colombia-FARC agreement

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