The President, Mrs Robinson, in the course of an elegant speech to the Foreign Policy Association in New York last night, addressed the question of globalisation the word used to describe the increasing political, economic, social and cultural integration of our world. She underlined the central role the United Nations has to play in the new world order. And she was critical of some big powers for their apparent impatience with the idea of a multilateral approach.
The speech is a valuable contribution to international discussion of the twin themes of global ethics and community that Mrs Robinson has made her own. Inevitably, it begs questions with regard to her own future and ambitions with respect to the United Nations. This follows the quite extensive publicity that has been given to the possibility that she might be a candidate for the job of secretary general, despite several denials by the President that she is seeking the post.
The most fundamental question is whether there is a vacancy. Dr Boutros Boutros Ghali's term expires at the end of this year. He has had a difficult assignment, steering the UN through arguably its most challenging period with decidedly mixed results. Having floated radical and imaginative ideas for UN reform in his 1992 Agenda for Change, he has found the organisation often overwhelmed by the demands placed upon it in the post Cold War era.
That said, the UN has been denied the resources to respond properly, particularly by the major powers whose interests are most affected notably the United States. Dr Boutros Ghali has offended many by his autocratic style and his perceived failure to introduce root and branch change. Nonetheless, he retains the support of most Third World states and probably of three permanent members of the Security Council France, Russia and China. Unless Dr Boutros Ghali decides to resign, the assumption must be that he will be granted the customary second term.
Another question begged by international speculation about a candidacy by Mrs Robinson is whether it is being orchestrated on her behalf or as a tactic to manoeuvre Dr Boutros Ghali to stand down. Mrs Robinson has repeatedly denied that she is pursuing a campaign, although she admitted last week in an interview that "if it went to the wire about the position, I would have to weigh all the options which would be very difficult".
This is a sensible position but it is difficult to separate it from the use of her name as a stalking horse by influential groups who wish to see Dr Boutros Ghali go. If the US government is tempted to support them it should pay close attention to the remarks she made last night and to the criticisms of the way the UN has been short changed by the major powers. Her appeal for much more international solidarity with Africa might go down less well with African governments if they suspected Mrs Robinson is being supported by Western powers.
International advocacy of a UN role for President Robinson is a tribute to her and to this State. Ironically the secretive and archaic nature of the decision making process used to select the secretary general contradicts the values she advocates. This makes it all the more difficult to assess the qualifications and motivations of any candidate for the job.