Kofi Annan: Two days in close touch with power

By GEOFF CUMMING

The charismatic presence of United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan provides yet another opportunity for the Labour-Alliance Government to extend its honeymoon with the electorate.

But the world's most powerful diplomat also has much to gain from his 48 hours in Wellington.

Fresh from a distressing tour of East Timor and an Australian visit where he adroitly avoided a domestic issue, Mr Annan can expect to find much common ground with our new Government on global issues.

As he did in Australia, he is likely to lavish praise on New Zealand for its peacekeeping role in East Timor, which was torn apart by savage violence before and after the independence vote last August.

New Zealand's role in Timor is likely to dominate discussions over the next two days but Mr Annan could enlist our help on other matters such as collective security, world trade and reform of the UN.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Helen Clark will use the visit to call on UN members to bring nuclear disarmament talks to a conclusion.

Mr Annan last week undertook an emotional visit to East Timor, where the UN assumed control of peacekeeping duties on February 1.

Haunted by one encounter with children orphaned after a massacre by pro-Indonesian militia last April, he admitted he was unprepared for the scale of destruction.

One of his meetings today is with Foreign Affairs Minister Phil Goff, who saw East Timor for himself last month.

New Zealand was among the first countries to join the Australian-led multinational peacekeeping force that, with UN authorisation, stepped in to halt the violence and restore a semblance of order to East Timor.

The crisis showcased one of the critical issues facing Mr Annan as he struggles to build a more effective and efficient international troubleshooter - the speed of UN deployment.

Traditionally, it has taken the UN three to six months to assemble a peacekeeping force - which would have been too late for the East Timorese.

In Canberra on Monday, he cited the multinational Interfet force's rapid involvement as a blueprint for future UN operations.

He said several UN member nations were developing "high readiness" brigades in their defence forces.

"When you have the sort of crisis that we had in East Timor it is essential that you are able to deploy rapidly.

"It is almost a record that a UN force is able to go down within two weeks of a crisis."

At its peak, New Zealand contributed 830 troops to the Interfet force; its contribution to the UN-led effort from the end of this month will be about 660.

The UN peacekeeping operation, of nearly 9000 troops, is tipped to continue for two to three years.

Foreign aid will be needed to rebuild East Timor. New Zealand has provided $1.8 million for humanitarian relief and allocated $1.5 million a year for humanitarian and development projects.

We can expect some compensation from the UN for the cost of our continued multimillion-dollar military involvement.

In Dili last week, Mr Annan was unable to give East Timorese leaders any deadline for a UN withdrawal. But he found the transition was proceeding well.

"With a bit of help and sustained effort, East Timor can make a go of it."

Mr Annan's upfront involvement in global hotspots has drawn both praise and criticism since he began his term in January 1997.

The former UN peacekeeping chief was accused of prior knowledge of the Rwandan Government plan to exterminate minority Tutsis, yet his office ordered UN peacekeepers not to intervene.

He blamed the failure to prevent the 1994 genocide on international inertia.

Mr Annan forged a deal with Iraq early in 1998 to end an impasse over weapons inspections and prevent a US-led assault. But by the end of that year, the US and Britain resorted to military strikes.

He set up talks to end hostilities in the Congo, promoted civilian rule in Nigeria and helped to resolve a stalemate between Libya and the Security Council over the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.

He walked a fine line with Russia over Nato airstrikes during the Kosovo crisis, when he defended the occasional use of force in the pursuit of peace.

The UN's ability to guide the superpowers, particularly the US, through such crises remains a big issue.

The five permanent members of the Security Council - Britain, France, the United States, Russia and China - retain the right to veto its decisions, which shackles UN responsiveness.

Mr Annan has maintained that the council should be involved in any decision to use force.

He has declared that the protection of civilians in strife-torn regions will be the UN's top challenge this century, saying the council must be prepared to intervene.

But the argument that human rights should take precedence over sovereignty continues to divide member countries.

Commentators believe New Zealand may play a part in resolving these issues because it is small and suitably distanced from the big powers.

New Zealand is proud of its record as a supporter of the United Nations and human rights. It pays $4.8 million towards the UN's budget and likes to state that it has always paid on time - in contrast to the huge arrears owed by the US.

Despite budget worries, Mr Annan has achieved spectacular progress within the UN administration. His reforms include staff cuts, budget trimming and streamlining to stop duplication. He introduced a new leadership and management structure leading to better coordination.

New Zealand has supported the reform process.

Where New Zealand stands on another issue dear to Mr Annan is less clear. His support for developing nations wary of the pressure for a global free-trade market has placed him at odds with the World Trade Organisation.

Last week, he blamed powerful nations for the failure of the WTO's Seattle summit rather than the protests that marred the talks. He wanted immediate action to share the benefits of globalisation fairly.

He can expect to find some sympathy, particularly among Alliance MPs.

Observers believe Mr Annan's visit is a heaven-sent opportunity for the Government to gain an understanding of his aims and how New Zealand might play a role.

Despite a restrictive approach to refugees, New Zealand is respected for its relatively large contribution to global peacekeeping and collective security.

Beyond Timor, New Zealand has about 80 personnel attached to UN peace missions.

Mr Annan called Australia a "model member state" while in Canberra. New Zealand might expect similar high praise.

The Ghana-born career diplomat, aged 61, joined the UN in 1962, working first for the World Health Organisation in Geneva.

In 1990, after the invasion of Kuwait, he helped to repatriate UN staff and negotiated the release of Western hostages.

His diplomacy skills were evident in Australia, where he was warned by Prime Minister John Howard that the issue of mandatory sentencing for repeat offenders in the Northern Territory and Western Australia was off-limits.

Mr Howard said Australia would make its own moral judgments and would "not be told what to do by anybody."

While parrying media questions on the jail issue during his visit, Mr Annan promised to refer the issue to UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson.

* Additional research by Susan Jennison.