聯合國公開遴選下一任祕書長

The eight candidates vying to be the next secretary-general of the UN will for the first time pitch for the job in public, in a process that promises greater transparency but which will come down to an accord between the US and Russia.

9名候選人將首次公開角逐下任聯合國(UN)祕書長一職，這一過程有望增加透明度，但最終結果將會取決於美國和俄羅斯達成的一致意見。

In an effort to shift the selection process away from backroom dealmaking, the candidates are detailing their case to the UN General Assembly in a 10-minute presentation followed by two-hour question-and-answer sessions between yesterday and toMorrow.

在昨天到明天的3天時間裏，這些候選人每人將先用10分鐘時間向聯合國大會(UN General Assembly)作競選陳述，然後回答提問。每名候選人將總共有2小時時間。這一安排旨在讓遴選過程不再成爲幕後政治交易的過程。

For the first time in the UN’s 70-year history, the eight people who have so far declared their candidacy — including Helen Clark, former New Zealand prime minister, and Irina Bokova, former Bulgarian foreign minister — will also take part in public events designed to create a broader debate about their views. In another first, a public list of declared candidates will be made.

迄今宣佈參選的這9個人——包括新西蘭前總理海倫•克拉克(Helen Clark)和保加利亞前外長伊琳娜•博科娃(Irina Bokova)——的競選過程還將是公開的，目的是讓人們可以對他們的觀點展開更廣泛的辯論，這是聯合國70年曆史上的首次。聯合國還將公開參選人的名單，這也是歷史上的首次。

Even with the new burst of public scrutiny, however, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council still have an effective veto over the decision, with the US and Russia expected to have the decisive voice in choosing a replacement for Ban Ki-moon.

然而，即便遴選過程頭一次要接受公衆審視，聯合國安理會(Security Council)的5個常任理事國仍對最終決定擁有事實上的否決權，預計美國和俄羅斯在選擇潘基文(Ban Ki-moon)的接替者時有決定性發言權。

As a result, the candidates will face the delicate task of finding a way to talk about important global issues without offending Washington or Moscow.

結果是，這些候選人將面對一個微妙的任務：設法在不冒犯華盛頓或莫斯科的情況下談論全球重要事務。

“There is much more transparency this time, but that does not alter the fundamental political game, which will ultimately come down to the US and the Russians,” said Richard Gowan, an expert on UN issues at the European Council on Foreign Relations.

歐洲對外關係委員會(European Council on Foreign Relations)聯合國問題專家理查德•高恩(Richard Gowan)表示：“這次的遴選透明得多，但這並沒有改變基本的政治遊戲格局，它最終仍將取決於美國和俄羅斯。”

“If any of the candidates say anything remotely controversial about the Middle East peace process, Israel, Syria or Ukraine, they are going to be on the next flight out of JFK.”

“如果哪位候選人在中東和平進程、以色列、敘利亞或烏克蘭問題上說出略微帶有爭議性的話，他就會乘坐下一班飛機離開肯尼迪國際機場(JFK)。”

The selection process this year is revolving around two themes. The first is a push — pioneered by Colombia and now supported by a quarter of UN members — to have a woman as the next secretary-general. Half of the eight who have so far declared are women.

今年的遴選過程圍繞兩個主題展開。第一個是推動一位女性擔任下一任聯合國祕書長——該提議最初由哥倫比亞提出，現已獲得四分之一聯合國成員國的支持。迄今已經宣佈參選的9位候選人當中，有4位女性。

The other is an assumption by governments from eastern Europe that it is their turn to nominate the secretary-general — with six of the eight coming from the region. The other six candidates are Igor Luksic, Montenegro’s minister of foreign affairs; António Guterres, former prime minister of Portugal and former UN High Commissioner for Refugees; Danilo Turk, former president of Slovenia; Vesna Pucic, former foreign minister of Croatia; Natalia Gherman, former foreign minister of Moldova; and Srgjan Kerim, former foreign minister of Macedonia.

另一個是東歐國家設想，現在該輪到他們提名聯合國祕書長人選了——9名候選人當中有7人來自東歐地區。上文中沒有提到的另外7名候選人是：黑山副總理兼外交部長伊戈爾•盧克希奇(Igor Luksic)、葡萄牙前總理、聯合國前難民事務高級專員安東尼奧•古特雷斯(António Guterres)、斯洛文尼亞前總統達尼洛•蒂爾克(Danilo Turk)、克羅地亞前外交部長韋斯娜•皮習克(Vesna Pucic)、摩爾多瓦前外交部長納塔利婭•蓋爾曼(Natalia Gherman)、馬其頓前外交部長斯爾詹•克里姆(Srgjan Kerim)以及昨天剛剛宣佈參選的塞爾維亞前外交部長、聯合國大會前主席武克•耶雷米奇(Vuk Jeremic)。

The first candidate to present yesterday was Mr Luksic from Montenegro, who faced questions largely about management of the UN. “We need to adhere to the principle of equitable rotation of jobs,” he said, suggesting that the new secretary-general should come from eastern Europe. Mr Luksic said he would consider basing the UN’s deputy secretary-general in Nairobi, in order to better address African issues.

昨日第一位出場的候選人是來自黑山的盧克希奇，提給他的問題大多與聯合國的管理有關。“我們需要遵守公平輪換的原則，”他表示，暗示聯合國新任祕書長應來自東歐。盧克希奇表示，他將考慮把聯合國副祕書長一職設在內羅畢，以便更好地應對非洲的問題。

The Security Council is expected to hold an informal poll this summer, with a final decision in September or October, although diplomats said the process could drag on if there is a stalemate.

預計聯合國安理會將在今年夏季舉行非正式投票，將在9月或10月做出最終決定，不過，外交人士表示，如果出現僵持，遴選過程可能延長。

Diplomats say the field is still very open at this early stage, although the two candidates considered slight favourites were Ms Bokova, who is the head of Unesco, and Ms Clark, who runs the UN Development Programme.

外交人士表示，在目前的初期階段，幾名候選人仍然勢均力敵，不過外界稍微更看好一些的兩名候選人是聯合國教科文組織(Unesco)總幹事博科娃和聯合國開發計劃署(UN Development Programme)署長克拉克。

Other candidates can still enter the race, especially if none of the current eight wins strong backing this week. If Ms Bokova falters, diplomats said Kristalina Georgieva, the Bulgarian who is vice-president of the European Commission, could emerge as a strong contender, although she has ruled out a bid.

有意參選的人士仍可繼續參選，特別是如果目前的9位候選人都沒有在本週獲得有力支持的話。外交人士表示，如果博科娃局勢不妙，那麼歐盟委員會(European Commission)副主席、保加利亞人克里斯塔琳娜•格奧爾基耶娃(Kristalina Georgieva)可能會成爲有力競爭者，儘管她已表示不會參選。

Kevin Rudd, former Australian prime minister, has also been mentioned, although he might be considered too close to the US to win the support of Russia or China, which is also a permanent member of the Security Council.

澳大利亞前總理陸克文(Kevin Rudd)也被提及，不過外界可能認爲，他與美國過於親近、無法贏得俄羅斯或中國的支持，中國也是聯合國安理會常任理事國之一。

The US has been criticised for its heavy-handed intervention to secure the nominations of Kofi Annan in 1997, having effectively ousted Boutros Boutros-Ghali, and in 2006 when Mr Ban was chosen. Russia is believed to want a candidate from eastern Europe, while the US would be happy to cast the contest more broadly.

1997年，爲了讓科菲•安南(Kofi Annan)獲得提名，美國幾乎可以說是把布特羅斯•布特羅斯-加利(Boutros Boutros-Ghali)趕下了臺；美國在2006年潘基文當選時也進行了強力干預。這種做法讓美國遭到外界批評。據信，俄羅斯希望候選人來自東歐，而美國將樂意看到競爭在更廣範圍內展開。

Vitaly Churkin, Russian ambassador to the UN, said the public hearings “might” influence the final decision. “It is important for us that the next secretary-general enjoy the broadest possible support among members of the United Nations,” he said.

俄羅斯駐聯合國大使維塔利•丘爾金(Vitaly Churkin)表示，公開聽證“可能”影響最終決定。他表示：“下任聯合國祕書長應得到儘可能廣泛的聯合國成員國的支持，這對我們來說很重要。”