Larry Pressler: “this fall, the United Nations will select its chief executive, the Secretary General. Under U.N. rules, the U.N.…”

“this fall, the United Nations will select its chief executive, the Secretary General. Under U.N. rules, the U.N. Security Council recommends a candidate who is subject to the approval of the entire General Assembly. As a member of the Security Council, the United States obviously has an important role in this process. It is my understanding that the current Secretary General, Mr. Boutros Boutros-Ghali has indicated that he may seek reelection to another 5-year term. With all due respect to the Secretary General, I do not believe it is in our Nation's interest, nor the overall interests of the United Nations, that Mr. Boutros-Ghali be given a second term. Indeed, the United States should make clear early on that it will not support Mr. Boutros-Ghali this fall. For the sake of the future credibility of the United Nations, it is in our Nation's best interests for the United States to actively support a candidate for Secretary General who is committed to a major management overhaul of the United Nations. Mr. Boutros-Ghali is not. I often speak of the need for U.N. reform, but I must confess most of my criticism has been of the Boutros-Ghali administration. Most would agree that U.S.-U.N. relations are at an all-time low. The American people's confidence in the United Nations has declined. This is unfortunate. I support the United Nations. I served twice as a Senate delegate to the United Nations. I want to see the United Nations work. The fact is, it doesn't work.”