Beyond Boutros-Ghali

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Even with much of the world behind him, Boutros Boutros-Ghali's chances of winning another term as U.N. Secretary General are receding. France, China and Russia, members of the powerful Security Council, strongly support Boutros-Ghali, but the U.S. confirmed Thursday that it would use its Council veto if the Egyptian were re-elected. Seeking to soften the blow, the Clinton Administration had offered Boutros-Ghali a one-year extension of his term. The Secretretary General turned it down. "The Clinton Administration feels that Boutros-Ghali has not done a good job reorganizing and streamlining the organization," says TIME State Department correspondent Dean Fischer. "He has proved to be an inefficient manager and the U.S. is unhappy with the handling of U.N peace missions in Somalia and Bosnia." Also at issue: congressional Republicans are unlikely to let the White House pay billions in U.N. dues without new and aggressive leadership in the U.N. Among the possible successors to Boutros-Ghali are Irish President Mary Robinson, Norwegian Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and U.N Undersecretary-General Kofi Annan Ghana. Fischer notes that in spite of the U.S. oposition, Boutros-Ghali remains popular among Third World countries that feel he provides a strong voice for the disadvantaged and underprivileged: "He is the symbol of someone who supported their aspirations and hopes." -->