Make Election Of UN Secretary-General An Open, Democratic Process: India

This process was recommended as "desirable" in a 1946 General Assembly resolution, but was not mandatory. Mukerji said that resolution should be amended to incorporate the proposals he made.

"The United Nations faces its most serious tests both in terms of credibility and performance," Mukerji said, and the election of Ban's successor "gives us an historic opportunity to change and improve the existing selection process of the Secretary-General in the interests of the United Nations system in general, and the Assembly's prerogatives in particular."

For India, which has been campaigning against the concentration of powers in the hands of the Security Council, the forthcoming election is an opportunity to extend this mission. "The Secretary-General is often unfortunately perceived to be a Secretary vis-à-vis the Security Council and a General vis-à-vis the General Assembly," Mukerji said. "This perception has to be reversed."

He said that qualifications required of the candidates should be transparently drawn up and these should include "commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter, extensive leadership, administrative and diplomatic experience." In addition, regional rotation and gender equality should be taken into account, he said.

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