Firmly supporting the demand for expansion of the Security Council, incoming UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has asserted that his first priority would be to build trust in the world body to bolster its image scarred by charges of corruption.
Addressing a press conference shortly after being sworn in as the eighth secretary general on Thursday, he also did not agree with his predecessor Kofi Annan's criticism of the US for its "go-it-alone" diplomacy at the cost of multilateralism.
"That, I think, was his (Annan's) own personal assessment and insight, which he gained during his tenure," he said in reply to a query with the outgoing secretary general by his side.
Ban firmly supported the expansion of the Security Council in view of "dramatic changes" in international politics, but did not back any particular model.
"As the secretary-general, I will try to facilitate consultations among the member states so that the broadest possible consensus formula could be drawn out among member states" on the issue, he said.
But he did not say whether he would support addition of two countries each from Africa and Asia as permanent members of the council, merely noting that member states had been unable to agree on the formula for the last 10 years.
India and Japan are strong contenders for the permanent membership in an expanded council.
Though most member states support expansion in both permanent and non-permanent categories, a group led by Pakistan only wants expansion in the non-permanent category with creation of a new category of non-permanent members who would have a much longer term than the current two-year term.
Ban criticised Annan for, what he sees as, the lack of trust of member states in the Secretariat.
"You could say that I am a man on a mission. My mission could be dubbed 'Operation Trust': trust in the organisation and trust between member states and Secretariat," he said jokingly adding, "I hope that it is not mission impossible."
Ban, who got the top UN post with strong backing from Washington, praised the US for its "important contribution" to peace and prosperity of the international community.
"We need the active support and participation of the United States in the activities of the United Nations. I believe that the US also values highly the ideals, goal and objectives of the UN and that is why they have been participating very actively," he added.
"There might have been -- there may be -- some occasions that the interests of the US or goals of the UN may not have been the same. But even in such a case, it is important to discuss to resolve the difference of opinion, and I, as secretary general, will try to harmonise so that we can expect constructive contribution and participation of the US in all activities of the UN," he said.
Ban, who takes over from Annan on January 1, ducked most questions. He did not give direct replies and mostly stressed on the negotiations.
The only exception was when a question about Iran's convening a meeting on Holocaust was asked. "Denying historical facts, especially on such an important subject as the Holocaust, is just not acceptable. Nor is it acceptable to call for elimination of any state or people. I would like to see this fundamental principle respected both in rhetoric and in practice by all the members of the international community," he said in a clear reference to Iran's call for Israel to be "wiped off the map".
Another issue on which he made himself clear was his support for the concept of humanitarian intervention to protect sections of populations from genocide or ethnic cleansing if the government is unwilling or unable to do so.
The concept is strongly supported by the Western powers, but several developing nations have reservations as they feel that it might be used as a pretext to undermine their sovereignty.
Ban said he would hold discussions on the matter to have solid terms so that the concept can be operationalised.
"It would be very important for the international community to prevent the happenings of all the massacres and genocide. It would not be appropriate if we would not be able to take any action on the pretext of sovereignty," he said.
Replying to another question, he said he is still considering several candidates for the posts of under secretaries-general and assistant-secretaries general, noting that terms of most of current ones expire in February.
He would prefer, he said, to have a woman deputy secretary who will work for management reforms.
But for most of the questions, he lived up to the nickname given to him by South Korean journalists -- 'slippery eel' -- to which he himself referred in his opening statement.
However, he had an embarrassing moment when he could not understand a question in French asked by a Canadian correspondent.
Till now, all secretary generals had been fluent in French, but Ban is now learning the language and his opening statement was in part in French.
But when a question was asked, he had to seek translation. The very question he faced was on continuing conflicts in Africa and the Middle East and Ban identified the Middle East as the most serious "issue" to which he promised to give priority.
He will try to "energise" the international quartet and urge leaders in the region to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to continue their talks, he said.
He also urged all parties in the conflict in Lebanon to be "more faithful, more sincere" in addressing the problem and said UN will spare no any effort to be a part of the process.
On Iraq, Ban said the United Nations and international community must work together and "use collective wisdom" to ensure political and social stability to that Iraqis enjoy "genuine freedom and peace".
On the suspected nuclear weapon ambitions of Iran, he said Tehran's nuclear development issue has much greater implications both regionally and globally.
"I would urge the authorities in Iran to engage in negotiations as they had been with European Union -- the most desirable way to resolve pending issues is through negotiations," he added.
Earlier, the 192-member UN General Assembly gave a prolonged standing ovation to Annan for his services to the world body before swearing-in of incoming incumbent Ban.
Ambassadors and top diplomats of the member states attended the Assembly session, which adopted a resolution paying tributes to Annan who President Sheikha Haya Rashed al-Khalifa said had devoted his life to the world body.
Addressing the Assembly, both Annan and Ban stressed the indissoluble links uniting security, development and human rights as the three pillars of the UN, without any one of which, they said, world peace will not be achieved.
