[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 32, Number 51 (Monday, December 23, 1996)]
[Page 2509]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the United Nations Security Council Approval of Kofi Annan 
as 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. Undersecretary 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on overhead and outdated agencies and more on services that directly 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.

Note: This item was not received in time for publication in the 
appropriate issue.