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His proposal has been endorsed by Hun Sen, who said Tuesday that the constitutional amendment would prevent future deadlocks in forming a new government after an election. After the last election, in which Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party won a majority 73 seats in the 123-seat assembly, the country was left without a properly functioning government for almost a year as the parties haggled over forming a coalition. (AP)

 

 

Tuesday, February 14, 2006

 

South Korean to Run for Top UN Job

 

South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon is running for the top UN post, his deputy said Tuesday, formally unveiling a candidacy that has been widely known for months. Ban, 61, has "nearly four decades of extensive experience and an untarnished reputation as a diplomat and administrator, much of it directly relating to issues of peace and security, development and human rights and democracy, the three pillars on which the United Nations stands," said Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung-Hwan.

Many Asian countries believe the next secretary-general should come from their continent, as part of a traditional rotation among regions for the top UN job every 10 years. Other announced Asian candidates include Thai Deputy Prime Minister Surakiart Sathirathai and former UN disarmament chief Jayantha Dhanapala of Sri Lanka, who recently represented the government in peace talks with the Tamil Tigers. There is wide support for an Asian candidate among the 191 UN member states—including permanent Security Council members Russia and China—though Eastern Europe argues that it has never had a leader in the top UN post. (AP)

 

Thai Court to Review Thaksin Claims

 

Thailand's Constitutional Court agreed Tuesday to look into accusations that the country's prime minister violated a conflict of interest law when his family sold its controlling stake in Southeast Asian telecom giant Shin Corp. The petition by 28 senators accuses Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra of having violated the Constitution's conflict of interest law, which stipulates that the prime minister cannot hold shares in companies. The move is the first step in a formal process that could lead to a trial of Thaksin and his eventual ouster if he were found guilty.

 

"At this stage the court has accepted the petition for consideration," said Paitoon Warahaphaitun, spokesperson for the Constitutional Court. The judge will decide on Thursday if there is sufficient evidence for a trial, he said. The petition also accuses Thaksin of concealing assets in connection with his family's January 23 sale of their controlling stake in telecommunications conglomerate Shin Corp to Singapore's Temasek Holdings for 73.3 billion baht (US $1.88 billion).

Thaksin has faced growing demands that he resign since the January 23 Shin sale, with critics accusing him of insider trading and structuring the deal to avoid paying hefty taxes, among other irregularities. Tens of thousands of protesters rallied Saturday in Bangkok, accusing Thaksin of corruption and abuse of power. (AP)

 

 

February 10, 2006

 

Russia Supports Asia for Top UN Seat

 

Russia’s UN Ambassador Andrei Denisov has said a successor to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan should be an Asian, the Reuters news agency reported.