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| Iraq-Jordan | ||
| Diplomats: Haidar Favored for Iraq Envoy | ||
| 2004-07-03 | ||
| UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Former Indian Foreign Secretary Salman Haidar is the frontrunner to be the new U.N. envoy to Iraq, diplomats said Friday. Haidar, a Muslim, held India's top foreign affairs post from 1995 to 1997. He then served a brief stint as India's high commissioner, or ambassador, to Britain before retiring from the diplomatic service in 1997. U.N. diplomats, speaking on condition of anonymity, said he recently met U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan to discuss the job and was the top candidate. U.N. officials said Friday that no decision had been made but one was expected soon. Despite the surge in violence in Iraq, Annan has said he expects the new U.N. envoy to be based in Baghdad. The new U.N. envoy would be the first senior official permanently based in Iraq since October, but Annan has said he won't allow large numbers of U.N. staff back to return until the security situation improves. The U.N. Security Council has given the United Nations a major political role in helping the new government prepare for elections and draft a constitution, and it would also like the world body to be a major player in Iraq's reconstruction. Annan has had difficulty finding a qualified candidate to go to Baghdad to take on the top U.N. job as his special representative. He said that several candidates initially said "yes" but then called a week later telling him they had to say "no" because their families objected.
Haidar, now 66, joined the foreign service in 1960 and was long considered one of India's best diplomats. In addition to rising to the top post for a career diplomat in the foreign ministry, he served as director in the prime minister's office and India's ambassador to China. He also led the Indian delegation at the first two rounds of foreign secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan in 1997.
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 That sounds like a good start,.com.Question is what are they going to do about the corruption? |
| Posted by: Raptor 2004-07-03 8:42:41 AM |
| #2 He's not a UN hack. He is a well respected guy in India, served in London for many years. Might be a bit of a lefty, but much better than the lifetime UN jackasses that could have been nominated. |
| Posted by: ne1469 2004-07-03 8:04:25 AM |
| #1 "Annan has said he won't allow large numbers of U.N. staff back to return until the security situation improves." I like this one better: "Bush has said he won't allow the large U.S. contributions to the U.N. to continue until investigations of U.N. staff corruption are completed." |
| Posted by: .com 2004-07-03 1:03:10 AM |