Changes needed to make a more effective UN

I heard on the news (can't remember which) that a preliminary investigation, based on interviews with a wide range of UN employees, suggest a systematic, structural corruption--but attempts to find an article have come up empty.

Very interested in the outcome.

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Here it is:

Quote:

The Secretary-General set up the independent inquiry in April in response to press allegations of corruption. He has pledged to deal severely with any staff member found guilty of wrongdoing

.
Independent Oil-for-Food probe will separate allegation from fact, Annan says

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IMO there are two things that are needed to make the UN effective instrument for peace. Neither of which can be achieved without the assistance and agreement of the powerful nations.
1 Muscle: Discussions, suggestions and resolutions are fine however, without a method of enforcement they remain suggestions and resolutions.

2 The UN must become proactive rather then reactive. The UN acts to help people in refugee camps or where ever in the aftermath of tragedy however, they are ineffective in stopping such tragedy from occurring. In other words after the glass has fallen and broken they can pick up the pieces however, they are unable to keep the glass from falling.

The question is can either of these two goals be achieved? IMO the answer is no. They will therefore remain at best a humane organization and not a force for peace as I believe originally conceived.

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au1929 wrote:

The question is can either of these two goals be achieved? IMO the answer is no. They will therefore remain at best a humane organization and not a force for peace as I believe originally conceived.

Actually, it would be worth to re-ead the histoty, aimes, goals, duties etc of the UN
(In short:
According to its Charter, the UN aims:
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights,to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained, and to promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.)

A visit at their website could be advisable as well, to find e.g. the
UN Millennium Development Goals (MDG)

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Walter
And you wouldn't consider that as being a force for peace?

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At least - part of, yes.

My response, however, was more thought to be against the narrow view about the UN, some have here. "Peace" is only one part - even the smallest, when you look at it.

And the UN never got the goal as "force for peace", thanks to their founders, and here especially the USA.

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Walter
That is where we disagree. I think maintaining the peace should be the most important function of the UN. If that could be achieved many of the humanitarian functions it now performs would become unnecessary.

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au1929 wrote:

Walter
That is where we disagree. I think maintaining the peace should be the most important function of the UN. If that could be achieved many of the humanitarian functions it now performs would become unnecessary.

Well, okay - I'm only referring to the charta and those mentioned facts there, not to what I and/or others think to be the most important functions.

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Walter

Quote:

According to its Charter, the UN aims:
to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war,…to reaffirm faith in fundamental human rights,…to establish conditions under which justice and respect for the obligations arising from treaties and other sources of international law can be maintained,

I would interpret that as maintaining peace. In addition it does neither spell out the method or restrict it.

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Sofia wrote:

I don't understand why A2K hasn't followed the recent scandal at the UN.

The internal interviews with UN personnel result in a very disturbing structural corruption. The Oil For Food fiasco is reportedly the tip of the iceburg.

Our money seems to have found it's way into several Savile Row pockets.

Wonder about the staunch backing Saddam received now from the UN--and the implications it's future.

What is the European translation for Good Ole Boy Network...?

Interesting personalities at work recently.

Bush thought Paul Volcker would get to the bottom of the mes, but within a few weeks, he acted as if Kojo Annan had cut him in on his corrupt profits.

Volcker seems to be protecting the Annans to the very end.

But, one of Volcker's subordinates has quit, and is sharing documents.

Thankful someone can't be paid.
------------------

Congress Gets Subpoenaed U.N. Documents
By DESMOND BUTLER, Associated Press Writer
1 hour, 19 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - A congressional committee received boxes of documents Thursday from an investigator who resigned from the U.N.-appointed investigation of the oil-for-food program because he believed it watered-down a report on Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

Robert Parton, a former FBI agent in charge of the investigation of Annan, resigned from the Independent Inquiry Committee last month to protest a March 29 report that cleared Annan of meddling in the $64 billion program. The committee is headed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker.

Complying with a subpoena, Parton sent several boxes of documents to the House International Relations Committee. Volcker's committee had objected to the subpoena, claiming his committee's staff had diplomatic immunity.

The chairman of the House committee, Rep. Henry Hyde (news, bio, voting record), said he instructed his investigators "to begin an immediate and careful examination of documents received from Mr. Parton."

"It is my hope and expectation that neither the United Nations nor the independent inquiry will attempt to sanction Mr. Parton for complying with a lawful subpoena," said Hyde, R-Ill.

One of the Volcker committee's three members, Mark Pieth, told The Associated Press that Parton and a second investigator, Miranda Duncan, quit after disagreeing with how the committee handled facts related to Annan's dealings with Cotecna Inspection S.A., the Swiss company where Annan's son, Kojo, worked.

The report said Kofi Annan did not properly investigate possible conflicts of interest surrounding the contract. It criticized him for refusing to push top advisers further after they conducted a hasty, 24-hour investigation related to his son and found nothing wrong.

But it cleared the secretary-general of trying to influence the awarding of the $10 million-a-year contract and said he did not violate U.N. rules.

The oil-for-food program was set up to help Iraqis cope with crippling U.N. penalties imposed on Saddam Hussein's government after his 1990 invasion of Kuwait.
---------------
Stay tuned.

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Volcker tries to shut down Congressional investigation.

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Last week there was a news bit on television that Volcker was resisting subpoenas from Congress for members of his group to testify. It was reported that Volcker was claiming diplomatic immunity.

Now if Volcker and his team have diplomatic immunity by virtue of being an arm of the UN, wouldn't that suggest they are by no means independent? And if they are not independent, then Kofi can call the shots here.

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Foxfyre wrote:

Last week there was a news bit on television that Volcker was resisting subpoenas from Congress for members of his group to testify. It was reported that Volcker was claiming diplomatic immunity.

Now if Volcker and his team have diplomatic immunity by virtue of being an arm of the UN, wouldn't that suggest they are by no means independent? And if they are not independent, then Kofi can call the shots here.

In international law, 'diplomatic immuty' are - at least since 1648, in most countries since the High Middle Ages - the immunities enjoyed by foreign states or international organizations and their official representatives from the jurisdiction of the country in which they are present.

Could you please say, Focfyre, what this has to do with 'biased'?

Do you think that US-Americans in the UN and other international institutions should loose there diplomatic status as well? Or in in any other diplomatic representacy?

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I didn't say biased. I said if they stand on diplomatic immunity to be able to avoid inquiry, they are not independent. That is very different from biased. It means that the fox was employed to guard the henhouse and whatever investigation was conducted is tainted and virtually worthless. Nobody has credibility conducting an investigation of himself/herself and then refusing to disclose all the findings.

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The UN charter must be re-written to make the UN a real organization with real authority ......Or........Live with it as it is now......nearly irrelevant. Period!!!!!!!

I came in late so if this has already been stated........sorry!

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Diplomatic immunity needs to be reviewed and amended.

Will someone enumerate the positive aspects of diplo immunity? I can't think of one.

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Lash, as Walter said:

"Do you think that US-Americans in the UN and other international institutions should loose there diplomatic status as well? Or in in any other diplomatic representacy?"

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As I said, what good is it?

Do you know of any other use for diplomatic immunity, other than getting away with crime? If there are none, I am for immediate revocation of diplomatic immunity for everyone.

I don't like protecting criminals of any nation from justice.

It is sad that you think I would want it for some, but not for all.

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Lash wrote:

As I said, what good is it?

Do you know of any other use for diplomatic immunity, other than getting away with crime? If there are none, I am for immediate revocation of diplomatic immunity for everyone.

I don't like protecting criminals of any nation from justice.

It is sad that you think I would want it for some, but not for all.

You don't like protecting criminals of any nation from justice, Lash? I take it you are speaking in favor of an International Criminal Court, then?

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That was a broad assumption. I think the ICC would have little to do with justice and most everything to do with international politics.

Do you support diplomatic immunity?

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Changes needed to make a more effective UN

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