The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : `U.N. is a collective representative'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 21, 2006
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`U.N. is a collective representative'

Staff Reporter

India should play active role in development issues: Tharoor

GLOBAL AGENDA: Shashi Tharoor, Under Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information of the United Nations,with students at an interactive session in the city on Wednesday. Photo: Vipinchandran

KOCHI: Shashi Tharoor, Under Secretary-General for Communications and Public Information, United Nations, answered a wide range of questions from students of Sankara Educational Institutions, here on Wednesday.

Students posed questions that ranged from the utility of an organisation like the U.N. in the emerging global scenario to alternative funding for the U.N. to secure economic freedom to act against developed nations.

"We, at our best and worst, are mirror to the world. The U.N. has acted as a collective representative of all the member nations," he told the gathering at the lawns of Taj Malabar.

One of the students asked Mr. Tharoor to evaluate the tenure of Kofi Annan as Secretary-General. He brought many development issues to the global agenda, as he did with bringing the world's focus on AIDS. He was able to create a coherent face for the U.N., he said.

Mr. Tharoor explained that his nationality was not a criterion in losing out in the race for the post of Secretary-General. Later, answering question posed by mediapersons, he explained that the present situation does not require India to leave its attempt for a permanent seat at Security Council.

India should try other options in playing active roles in development issues, he said.

Former editor of The Indian Express M.K. Das, who was the moderator, asked about the futility of the U.N.'s position with super powers wielding the veto. That, Mr. Tharoor explained, was an incentive meant to keep the developed nations in the U.N. Without which, they would not hesitate to leave the organisation, leaving it to the fate of its predecessor - the League of Nations. But the developed nations cannot bring things around in their favour without the support of developing nations.

In his answer to the final question, Mr. Tharoor captured the spirit of the U.N. as a fine balance between idealism and realism. Philip Mathew, managing editor, Malayala Manorama and The Week, presided.

V.R. Gowrisankar, administrator and CEO, Sri Sringeri Mutt, honoured the chief guest by presenting him with a shawl.

B.S. Krishnan, managing trustee, Adi Sankara Trust; K.P. Gopinathan Nair, Principal, Sree Sankara College; Vimala Gopalakrishnan, Principal, Sree Sarada Vidyalaya; and G.S. Iyer, Principal, Adi Sankara Institute of Engineering and Technology; were present.

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