    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1996, Book II)]
    [December 13, 1996]
    [Page 2207]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 2207]]

    Statement on the United Nations Security Council's Selection of
    Kofi Annan To Be Secretary-General
    December 13, 1996

        I'm delighted by today's vote in the United Nations Security Council
    selecting Kofi Annan of Ghana to be the new U.N. Secretary-General. We
    are hopeful that the General Assembly will concur with the Security
    Council early next week.
        Through his decades of work at the United Nations and in the
    international arena, Kofi Annan has established excellent working
    relations with many countries, including the United States. Over the
    last 4 years as U.N. Under Secretary for Peacekeeping and throughout his
    impressive career, he has proven himself an able and energetic manager--
    professional, impartial, well-versed in the issues at hand, and a true
    proponent of reform. We are confident he will take concrete steps to
    inspire the world to support the U.N., inspire the U.N. to live up to
    its ideals, and transform those ideals into action.
        Since its founding more than half a century ago, the United Nations
    has been a vehicle for peace and progress that has served the interests
    of America and the world. Since taking office, I have worked hard with
    Congress to sustain America's support for the United Nations.
        Precisely because we believe in the United Nations, my
    administration has also led the fight for far-reaching U.N. reform. To
    meet the challenges of the 21st century, the U.N. must keep pace with
    the times--achieving its work with fewer people and resources, reducing
    waste and rationalizing priorities, and producing better results at
    lower costs. The world community needs a United Nations that spends less
    on overhead and outdated agencies and more on services that directly
    benefit people's daily lives.
        I believe the United Nations must have a leader who is committed to
    these goals. That is why I decided we needed a new Secretary-General. I
    knew this would be a controversial decision, but it was the right thing
    to do.
        The outgoing U.N. Secretary-General, Boutros Boutros-Ghali, is an
    honorable man who has led a great career--from the breakthrough for
    Middle East peace at Camp David to his leadership of the United Nations
    as it celebrated its 50th anniversary. Now we must prepare the United
    Nations for the demands of the next 50 years. I am confident Kofi Annan
    will rise to this task with conviction.
        I am committed to work closely with the Congress to meet America's
    obligations to the United Nations and to make good on our arrears. And I
    am sure that my nominee for our U.N. Ambassador, Bill Richardson, will
    work effectively with the new Secretary-General to renew and revitalize
    this historic organization to take on the challenges of the future.