Incoming U.N. Chief Says He's a Bridge Builder

Dec. 24, 2006 — -- "This Week" traveled to New York to meet the man about to replace U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. South Korean diplomat Ban Ki-Moon takes charge next week. He won the job with the strong backing of the Bush administration, and he hopes to improve the U.N.'s battered image in America. We sat down for this exclusive interview in the hall of the General Assembly.

George Stephanopoulos, "This Week" anchor: All of the crises in the world are debated in this hall. Which one do you hope to have the most personal impact on?

Ban Ki-Moon: I'm very much humbled by all challenges lying before me when I begin my duties as secretary-general of the United Nations. We are facing so many issues, conventional and non-conventional. Now, Middle East, situation in Lebanon and crisis in Darfur will be two of my most important agendas, which I have to deal with.

Stephanopoulos: Let me ask you about Darfur. Do you believe genocide is going on there now?

Ban: It is unacceptable to let this continuing deterioration of human rights violations and killings continue. International community must do something. Diplomatic activities have been going on.

Stephanopoulos: Except the Sudanese government has resisted these activities for a long time. I was speaking with British Prime Minister Tony Blair a couple of weeks ago. He said that in the new year we might have to consider going beyond diplomacy.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair [on tape]: If, in the next weeks and next couple of months or so, the Sudanese government are not prepared to agree to the U.N. plan, then we've got to move to sanctions and we've got to move to tougher action. And I think we should certainly consider the option of a no-fly zone to help people in Darfur.

Ban: Resolving all these issues through peaceful means, through dialogue, is most desirable one before we can think of another measures to resolve this issue.

Stephanopoulos: The U.N. is also seized right now by the issue of the Iranian nuclear program. Do you really believe that a U.N. sanctions resolution can stop the Iranians from pursuing a nuclear program that they seem to believe is in their national interest?