Ban Strains Against Limits of His Power as Chief of Weakened UN - Yahoo! News

Ban Strains Against Limits of His Power as Chief of Weakened UN - Yahoo! News: "Ban Strains Against Limits of His Power as Chief of Weakened UN " He was only half-kidding. When he took office as secretary- general on Jan. 1, Ban traded a leadership post in South Korea, the world's 12th largest economy, for limited power to resolve conflicts in the Middle East and Africa and bring discipline to a weakened UN. He had ``much more authority'' as South Korea's foreign minister, Ban said in an interview in his New York office. ``The UN has been underappreciated, perceived ineffective and inefficient. That is what I am trying to overcome.'' Ban, 62, is struggling to fill the role of world diplomat. He hasn't yet gained the confidence of the major powers or a UN membership that, while divided over many issues, is united in its distrust of the secretary-general's office. Predecessor Kofi Annan, 69, handed Ban an organization stained by mismanagement, waste and fraud, whose troops and aid workers are under increasing attack. At the same time, rich and poor nations have split over how to address the world body's problems, and members are reluctant to give the secretary- general greater power to reshape the UN bureaucracy. The Stakes The stakes are high for the UN's ability to confront war and privation. Ban said he's responsible for ``everything,'' from ending the violence and refugee crisis in Sudan's Darfur region to managing a record 100,000 peacekeeping troops in Africa and Asia and delivering disaster relief. After 100 days in office, Ban's record so far is mixed at best, according to diplomats and observers. Some of the powerful nations that helped him land his new job have resisted his early steps, in part because they weren't consulted ahead of time. Britain questioned his first appointments of aides. China opposed a proposal to alter the organization of UN peacekeeping operations. Russia complained that Ban was trying to undercut nuclear-disarmament monitoring. ``He's not a big player yet,'' said Steven Cook, Middle East analyst for the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. ``Expectations were rightly lowered when he went to the Middle East last month because he doesn't have a real feel for the region. It was mostly a learning experience.''