the ephemeral Ban Ki-moon... of whom it can be said to his credit that he is not Kofi Annan...
urged President Barack Obama
On this Memorial Day, as our nation honors its unbroken line of fallen heroes -- and I see many of them in the audience here today...
Wednesday to act quickly on ending the war in Syria and reviving the Middle East grinding of the peace processor as he congratulated the U.S. leader on his re-election.
The United Nations
...boodling on the grand scale...
"will continue to count on the active engagement of the United States" on key global issues "as it strives to meet the hopes and expectations of people around the world," Ban said through a front man.
Ban said: "Many challenges lie ahead -- from ending the bloodshed in Syria, to getting the Middle East grinding of the peace processor back on track, to promoting sustainable development and tackling the challenges posed by climate change. All will require strong multilateral cooperation."
The U.N. leader looks forward to working with Obama and his second term administration "in the spirit of the enduring partnership between the United States and the United Nations," the front man added.
Obama strived to improve the U.S. reputation at the United Nations and as a multilateral partner during his first term.