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this is ten questions for time and we're
this is ten questions for time and we're
here with former UN Secretary General
here with former UN Secretary General
Kofi Annan thank you very much for
Kofi Annan thank you very much for
joining us happy to be here
joining us happy to be here
no you're currently working on a
no you're currently working on a
campaign for climate change which is can
campaign for climate change which is can
you say the name it's a tick tick take
you say the name it's a tick tick take
time for climate justice and our first
time for climate justice and our first
question from our reader do you think
question from our reader do you think
world leaders are putting enough effort
world leaders are putting enough effort
into combating global warming I don't
into combating global warming I don't
think so and I think this is why we need
think so and I think this is why we need
the energy and the involvement of
the energy and the involvement of
everyone this is our planet
everyone this is our planet
climate change affects us all we cannot
climate change affects us all we cannot
and should not leave it to the leaders
and should not leave it to the leaders
alone in the Kyoto Protocol which
alone in the Kyoto Protocol which
expires in 2012
expires in 2012
what changes has that actually brought
what changes has that actually brought
about since it was signed and has it
about since it was signed and has it
been effective in fighting fighting
been effective in fighting fighting
climate change I think it has been
climate change I think it has been
effective in the sense that it has
effective in the sense that it has
helped raise awareness today we are all
helped raise awareness today we are all
aware of the climate change and its
aware of the climate change and its
impact obviously we cannot pretend that
impact obviously we cannot pretend that
we've achieved everything that Kyoto
we've achieved everything that Kyoto
agreement had in mind the awareness is
agreement had in mind the awareness is
here today and people realize that
here today and people realize that
unless we take steps to address climate
unless we take steps to address climate
change
change
we we are heading towards catastrophic
we we are heading towards catastrophic
consequences that will be irreversible
consequences that will be irreversible
what do you think are the realistic
what do you think are the realistic
expectations for the next round of
expectations for the next round of
discussions in in Copenhagen we are not
discussions in in Copenhagen we are not
there yet but we shouldn't give up I'm a
there yet but we shouldn't give up I'm a
stubborn optimist as I should warn you
stubborn optimist as I should warn you
and I believe we should maintain the
and I believe we should maintain the
pressure on the leaders I'd like to talk
pressure on the leaders I'd like to talk
for a little bit about your career as at
for a little bit about your career as at
the United Nations what do you consider
the United Nations what do you consider
to be the greatest achievements of the
to be the greatest achievements of the
UN during your tenure I will have to say
UN during your tenure I will have to say
the fight against poverty and the fiber
the fight against poverty and the fiber
we got the heads of states to agree to
we got the heads of states to agree to
the Millennium Development Goals the
the Millennium Development Goals the
eight Millennium Development Goals to
eight Millennium Development Goals to
uplift people out of their poverty and
uplift people out of their poverty and
for the first time we came up with a
for the first time we came up with a
common agenda for development in a
common agenda for development in a
similar vein Heather right in Ontario
similar vein Heather right in Ontario
wants to know what do you think the
wants to know what do you think the
greatest failure of the UN
greatest failure of the UN
world community was during your time
world community was during your time
there I would have to say how failure to
there I would have to say how failure to
stop the war in Iraq some of us knew it
stop the war in Iraq some of us knew it
was going to be a disaster and cause
was going to be a disaster and cause
lots of problems tried very hard to stop
lots of problems tried very hard to stop
it the council did not vote for military
it the council did not vote for military
action and yet we had action and we all
action and yet we had action and we all
see the results do you think that
see the results do you think that
President Bush acted illegal here
President Bush acted illegal here
against by going to war without the UN
against by going to war without the UN
sanction I think my position is clear
sanction I think my position is clear
I'm on record sorry yes check the record
I'm on record sorry yes check the record
going forward Monica Maha wants to know
going forward Monica Maha wants to know
what he sees the biggest issues and
what he sees the biggest issues and
challenges for the UN over the next
challenges for the UN over the next
decade there are challenges and issues
decade there are challenges and issues
but not just for the UN is for all of us
but not just for the UN is for all of us
we live in a world where we have to
we live in a world where we have to
understand we are all we are all in the
understand we are all we are all in the
same boat and one cannot be secured at
same boat and one cannot be secured at
the expense of the other one cannot be
the expense of the other one cannot be
prosperous at the expense of the other
prosperous at the expense of the other
in a world in which a stream poverty and
in a world in which a stream poverty and
immense wealth live side by side is
immense wealth live side by side is
simply not sustainable when we say what
simply not sustainable when we say what
should the UN do how can the UN do this
should the UN do how can the UN do this
we are basically saying how do we get
we are basically saying how do we get
governments your government and mine to
governments your government and mine to
act cooperatively in the common interest
act cooperatively in the common interest
we saw a bit of that during the
we saw a bit of that during the
financial crisis when they met in London
financial crisis when they met in London
and in Washington in November there was
and in Washington in November there was
a sense of agency and despair that it
a sense of agency and despair that it
pulled them together they were thinking
pulled them together they were thinking
of working together they were beginning
of working together they were beginning
to work together to save the global
to work together to save the global
economy and the financial system now
economy and the financial system now
that some people are Russian I have seen
that some people are Russian I have seen
we are probably out of their crisis we
we are probably out of their crisis we
are fallen back to the old bad habits of
are fallen back to the old bad habits of
protecting our national interests
protecting our national interests
sectional interests protectionism I
sectional interests protectionism I
speak in interior his head
speak in interior his head
and if they do not cooperate and work
and if they do not cooperate and work
together and what we are trying to
together and what we are trying to
achieve fails who has failed the UN or
achieve fails who has failed the UN or
the individual countries particularly
the individual countries particularly
the powerful countries with a question
the powerful countries with a question
from a reader phazon said in Copenhagen
from a reader phazon said in Copenhagen
who wants to know whether you think that
who wants to know whether you think that
the election of President Barack Obama
the election of President Barack Obama
in the US and his efforts to accomplish
in the US and his efforts to accomplish
this abroad around any changes in the
this abroad around any changes in the
world's perception of the United States
world's perception of the United States
whether they think more positively or
whether they think more positively or
negatively about the country under his
negatively about the country under his
administration I think President Obama
administration I think President Obama
has started extremely well this loss of
has started extremely well this loss of
goodwill and support for him and the
goodwill and support for him and the
administration around the world he has
administration around the world he has
enormous challenges both here and abroad
enormous challenges both here and abroad
and I think we all need to help him
and I think we all need to help him
succeed and we should start by reducing
succeed and we should start by reducing
expectations reducing expectations for
expectations reducing expectations for
what he can accomplish what he can
what he can accomplish what he can
accomplish that high expectations can
accomplish that high expectations can
cause problems of politicians
cause problems of politicians
particularly when you consider the
particularly when you consider the
nature of the challenges he has
nature of the challenges he has
inherited this one comes from Jose
inherited this one comes from Jose
Francisco Cruz in Manila he wants to
Francisco Cruz in Manila he wants to
know how does one become a UN
know how does one become a UN
secretary-general by accident it's a
secretary-general by accident it's a
difficult question to answer because
difficult question to answer because
it's not the sort of him that you wake
it's not the sort of him that you wake
up and said at the age of 15 I decided I
up and said at the age of 15 I decided I
was going to become Secretary General of
was going to become Secretary General of
the UN and worked towards it but what I
the UN and worked towards it but what I
was saying whatever challenge or
was saying whatever challenge or
assignment he takes on he should work as
assignment he takes on he should work as
hard as he can make whatever
hard as he can make whatever
contribution that he can and want and
contribution that he can and want and
least to the other and maybe he will
least to the other and maybe he will
have a chance although I'm hoping that
have a chance although I'm hoping that
in future we are going to see some women
in future we are going to see some women
secretaries-general
secretaries-general
you know sir he may have to wait his
you know sir he may have to wait his
turn there any good candidates you see
turn there any good candidates you see
so far but the world is full of good
so far but the world is full of good
people
people
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