Posted on 09/22/2006 12:05:45 PM PDT by Ebenezer
(English-language translation)
[Guatemalan] President Óscar Berger expressed concern during an interview in New York with the BBC Mundo network over the future of the United Nations Security Council if Venezuela manages to take the seat Guatemala is also competing for.
"If it's Venezuela, I greatly fear the Security Council will be worthless," Berger said.
The Guatemalan leader granted the interview after appearing before the U.N. last Wednesday.
Prensa Libre tried to get the opinion of Félix Méndez Correa, Venezuela's ambassador to Guatemala, but his secretary said that the diplomat received instructions from his country not to talk about the matter.
Berger affirmed during the interview that he has 110 votes secured out of the 127 required to occupy the non-permanent seat that Argentina is vacating.
He mentioned that countries such as the United States, Mexico, Canada, Colombia, and Peru are among those that have publicly expressed their support of Guatemala's candidacy.
He added that Spain has been added to the list. "President Rodríguez Zapatero and the Spanish team are also working for Guatemala," Berger commented.
Vice-President Eduardo Stein declined to comment on Berger's statements but made it clear that there is a risk if a country with antagonizing political ideas joins the Security Council.
"Most of the member states are looking for countries joining the Security Council that contribute solutions, but as long as they do not contribute such, they may provide an obstacle to the Council's decisions," Stein pointed out.
Controversy
Berger told the BBC: "Secretary[-General Kofi] Annan personally told me that, if Venezuela joins the Security Council, we will have many problems, because the large countries would continue with their own teams and will bypass the U.N., which would be dramatic."
However, Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal clarified yesterday that Annan did not comment to Berger that, personally, he was worried about Venezuela belonging to the Security Council.
"The only thing I can clarify is that the Secretary[-General] made a general comment on the concerns that some countries had over the possibility that Venezuela will join the Council. It was never a personal comment or one that reflected any position from the U.N.," Rosenthal explained.
The official offered these referenced statements at U.N. headquarters where he is holding bilateral meetings with several countries in order to earn the necessary votes for Guatemala to join the Security Council.
Seeking Support
The Foreign Minister must spend three more weeks in New York to meet with his counterparts and get support for the country.
"We have no better lobbyist than Rosenthal, given the prestige and knowledge he has on the United Nations system," Stein pointed out.
Worse than somber. How about useless?
Chavez more than showed his A$$ to the world during the past few days and although he was looking at the world stage for his audience, the performance showed just exactly what kind of tin horn dictator he really is.
Chavez more than showed his A$$ to the world during the past few days and although he was looking at the world stage for his audience, the performance showed just exactly what kind of tin horn dictator he really is.
These folks are not stupid - Many in Colombia and Argentina, from my recent conversations with folks I respect in those locations, feel the same way about Chavez: a thug bully with delusions of grandeur.
"If it's Venezuela, I greatly fear the Security Council will be worthless," Berger said.
"Chavez more than showed his A$$ to the world during the past few days and although he was looking at the world stage for his audience, the performance showed just exactly what kind of tin horn dictator he really is."
Most of the totalitarian regimes in this world are tim horn dicatatorships.
It appears Annan is doing a lot of "behind the scenes" advising, doesn't it?
For those who haven't seen it:
Ahmadinejad said Annan had told him Iran could ignore a Security Council resolution requiring the country to cease enriching uranium by Aug. 31 or face economic sanctions. The Security Council sought the resolution in the face of rising fears over Iran's possible moves toward building nuclear weapons: Uranium enrichment is one of the key factors in that process.
Annan Denies Claim That He Told Iran to Ignore Uranium Deadline
Before his term comes to an end, Kofi is busy rearranging the deck chairs on the UN Titanic.
What better way to smack the US and the good countries of the world than to stack the security council with anti-US countries, and with Venezuela he gets an oil rich US hater.
A very good friend of mine just returned from Venezuela after a multi-year posting with an energy company. He summed it by saying, "...this must've been what it was like in Cuba in 1960."
Roger that.
I don't think the UN would risk the backlash from the disgusted constituents of their Uncle Sugardaddy.
In that case, maybe it would be a good thing if the security council drove in the last nail of it's own coffin by electing Chavez to it. It will become more obvious of what it already is- a joke.
It'd almost be worth it for the show. What would suffer? The UN peacekeeping efforts in Somalia, who is currently installing a radical Islamic government? Their security efforts in Darfur that have resulted in a grand declaration that the mass murder there isn't genocide? The sanctions against Iran that Huey would veto if France didn't? Let's face it, if the entire UN building suddenly disappeared into a sinkhole nobody would miss it. If it took a couple thousand international bureaucrats with it the world would be better off, especially those people in whose interest the UN was nominally established. Now it serves as a podium for noxious little goose-steppers. We could buy them a soapbox for a lot less.
"If it's Venezuela, I greatly fear the Security Council will be worthless," Berger said.
Oops, too late.
That's right.
I actually think that part of the reason for the Chavez rant was is opportunity to play to his UN base. I think Hugo won over many votes for his rant against President Bush and the US. The applause, laughter and media attention is proof positive that he was successful.
The vote of each country is secret which will allow any country to stick it to the US without reproach.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.