Ban Ki-moon Observes 100 Days as UN Chief

By Peter Heinlein United Nations 10 April 2007

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It has been 100 days since South Korea's Ban Ki-moon took over as secretary-general of the United Nations. In the Korean tradition, 100 days is a significant milestone, and aides say Mr. Ban permitted himself a small celebration of the day. VOA's Peter Heinlein reviews the accomplishments, and the stumbles, of those first three-plus months.

Ban ki-moon, 10 Apr 2007

In some ways, Ban Ki-moon has a tough act to follow. His predecessor, Kofi Annan, achieved "rock star" status during 10 years at the helm of the world body. Though his record of accomplishment may have been spotty, millions viewed Mr. Annan as a beacon of hope in an uncertain world.

In his first 100 days on the job, Mr. Ban has made a number of missteps in what many call "the world's most impossible job," managing an organization of 192 countries, many with sharply contrasting points of view.

He found himself in trouble on his first day in office, when he failed to criticize Iraq for carrying out the death penalty against Saddam Hussein. Human rights activists were outraged at his seeming contradiction of Mr. Annan's staunch opposition to capital punishment. Mr. Ban later issued a statement saying he "encourages the trend" toward abolishing the death penalty.

Several critics also expressed disappointment at his low-key style in tackling challenges on which Mr. Annan had been outspoken, such as the refusal by Sudan's President Omar (Hassan) al-Bashir to allow U.N. peacekeepers into Darfur. Moreover, he was viewed by some as being too close to powerful countries, especially the United States.

But veteran U.N. watcher and Columbia University professor Edward Luck dismisses those early missteps as a normal part of the learning process. Luck gives Mr. Ban high marks for his initial efforts in his new position as the world's diplomat-in-chief.

"He's hardly been simply a behind the scenes actor," said Edward Luck. "He's been quite straightforward, he goes down to Washington in his first trip and tells President Bush he's very concerned about climate change, and it has to be a top priority. That clearly was not the first message that the president wanted to hear. He meets with President al-Bashir when he goes to Addis early on, tells him that the genocide in Darfur is completely unacceptable. He tells the Iranian leadership that denial of the Holocaust is unacceptable; he is willing to go to the Middle East, and as far as he can, butt heads together and gets the Arab League and the Islamic Conference to get energized in trying to do something about Darfur. So I think people sometimes get fooled by the style and ignore the fact that the substance is usually quite assertive, and at points even bold."

To be sure, Mr. Ban is soft-spoken. In a recent conversation with VOA, he laughed when reminded of former U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt, whose motto was "Speak softly and carry a big stick."

The secretary-general acknowledges the international community's frustration at the slow progress on issues such as deploying U.N. peacekeeping troops in Darfur. But he said he would insist that President Bashir allow blue-helmeted U.N. troops to participate in a so-called "hybrid force" that would be strong enough to restore calm to Darfur.

"It was regrettable that President al-Bashir has made several reservations to my proposals to deploy a heavy support package and the hybrid peacekeeping operations," said Ban Ki-moon. "This is something they must accommodate."

Mr. Ban has also been outspoken in criticizing Iran for its defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions demanding a halt to uranium enrichment. Speaking to VOA, he said it is "regrettable" that Iran's leaders have not met the Council's deadlines.

"Even at this time, I would urge that the Iranian authorities engage in a serious negotiation to resolve this issue to the expectation of the international community," he said. "And on the part of Iran, as a responsible member of the United Nations and the international community, they must comply fully with all the resolutions of the Security Council."

Mr. Ban noted that, as secretary-general, he no longer plays an active role in the six-party talks on North Korea, as he did in his previous job as South Korea's foreign minister. But he expressed satisfaction at Pyongyang's apparent willingness to abandon its nuclear weapons program in return for fuel and diplomatic incentives. He told VOA he is continuing to play a backstage role in the negotiations.

"I will try my best effort to facilitate at this time this ongoing process, so that the Korean people and the international community will be able to see the realization of the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," said Mr. Ban.

Columbia University's Professor Luck argues that despite Mr. Ban's low-key image, he has displayed more energy and willingness to tackle big issues than any other secretary-general at this point in their tenure.

"In terms of his ability to articulate a very clear strategy, people compare him in his early days with Kofi Annan after 10 years in the job, which is not fair," he said. "I think he's every bit as articulate as Kofi Annan was in his early days, and certainly is much more willing to speak out on issues than a number of his predecessors have before that time. People forget that Kofi Annan's fame for being a global spokesperson set him apart from many of his predecessors. He really was unusual in that regard, and Ban is in many ways moving in the same direction."

As for the criticism that Mr. Ban is too close to the United States, Professor Luck notes that Kofi Annan was also perceived as being pro-U.S. in his early days in office. In later years, Mr. Annan was sharply critical of U.S. policies, and openly clashed with the former U.S. Ambassador John Bolton.

While Mr. Ban observed his 100 days in office as a milestone, in keeping with South Korean tradition, most U.N. diplomats say it is still too early to tell what impact he will have on world affairs. As one member of Mr. Ban's team explained, "the secretary-general can't define the world. The world really defines the secretary-general."

The official said "Whatever personal characteristics a U.N. chief brings to the job, he or she is faced with trying to get things done in a very difficult, very divided world. Only over the course of many months will we begin to get a feel for how Mr. Ban sees his place in the world, and sees the organization's place."

Bush Calls Democratic Leadership in Congress 'Irresponsible'

By Scott Stearns White House 10 April 2007

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President Bush says he will veto emergency spending for wars in Afghanistan and Iraq because opposition legislators have attached timetables for a troop withdrawal from Iraq. VOA White House correspondent Scott Stearns reports, opposition leaders say it is time Iraqi leaders take greater responsibility for their own security.

President Bush stands with veterans as he speaks about the Iraq war supplemental, at the American Legion Post 177 in Fairfax, Virginia, 10 Apr 2007

President Bush says Congressional Democrats are pushing legislation that would undercut U.S. troops in Iraq just as he says reinforcements in Baghdad are beginning to reduce sectarian violence.

"I know we have our differences over the best course in Iraq," he said. "These differences should not prevent us from getting our troops the funding they need without withdrawal and without giving our commanders flexibility."

President Bush says the clock is ticking for U.S. troops in the field as the Defense Department will transfer $1.6 billion from other accounts to make up the shortfall. An independent government report last month said the Army has enough money to fund military operations in Iraq through July.

Rep. Harry Reid (16 Feb 2007)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid says it is not about the money. He says Democrats are holding the president to account for a war that public-opinion polls show a majority of Americans now believe was a mistake.

"Let me be clear," he said. "Democrats are committed to giving our troops the funds they need. The supplemental appropriation bill that we are trying to send to President Bush will provide every dollar our commanders have requested."

President Bush says he will veto any spending bills that include a timetable for withdrawal because that would embolden the enemy.

Close votes in both the House and Senate make it highly unlikely that Democrats could find the two-thirds majority to over-ride that veto.

In a speech to a local chapter of America's largest veterans' association, President Bush said it is irresponsible for Democrats to delay funding for U.S. troops at war.

"Democratic leaders in Congress are bent on using a bill that funds our troops to make a political statement about the war," he said. "They need to do it quickly, and get it to my desk so I can veto it. And then Congress can get down to the business of funding our troops without strings and without further delay."

Reid says Democrats want Iraqi authorities to take greater responsibility for their own security and to force the president to hold them to benchmarks for their performance.

"American troops are putting their lives at risk every single day, but Iraqi leaders are not willing to take the political risk of governing their own country," he said. "That must change. That is what Congress is demanding. That is what the American people by a large majority demand. And the president should be leading us in that direction, not threatening to veto funding for our troops unless we rubber-stamp his flawed plan."

The president invited Congressional leaders from both parties to come to the White House next week to discuss the supplemental funding. Spokeswoman Dana Perino says that is not a negotiation, but a chance for Democrats to explain how they are going to get the president a bill he can sign.

New US Army Chief of Staff Predicts Long Battle Against Terror

By Al Pessin Washington 10 April 2007

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Gen. George Casey

The former coalition commander in Iraq, General George Casey, took over as U.S. Army Chief of Staff at a ceremony rich in tradition Tuesday, during which he predicted that the fight against terrorism will continue for at least a decade. VOA's Al Pessin reports from the Pentagon.

The army band and an honor guard performed at the outdoor ceremony Tuesday morning, as the military leadership of the U.S. Army changed hands. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said after a long career, including 30 months in Iraq, General Casey is uniquely qualified for his new job as chief of staff.

"He has seen the face of war in the 21st Century first hand, the complex nature of asymmetric warfare, urban combat, counterinsurgency operations and sustained commitments of a rotational expeditionary army abroad," said Gates. "If George Casey were well qualified to take this position before his tour in Iraq, he is superbly qualified now."

Gen. George Casey turns over command of coalition forces in Iraq to Gen. David Petraeus during a ceremony in the lobby of one of Saddam Hussein's grandest palaces, in Baghdad (File)

General Casey said it will be his responsibility to ensure that the U.S. Army is prepared for the continuing fight against terrorism.

"We are locked today in a war against a global extremist network that is fixed on defeating the United States and destroying our way of life," he said. "This foe will not go away, nor will he give up easily. And the next decade is likely to be one of persistent conflict. We are engaged in a long war."

General Casey said the U.S. Army is prepared to make the "hard sacrifices" needed to win that 'long war.'

The outgoing Army Chief of Staff, General Peter Schoomaker, struck a similar theme, but also said the United States must address terrorism with all its agencies, not just the military.

"I believe that this is the most dangerous period of my lifetime. We're still closer to the beginning than the end of this fight," said General Schoomaker.

The chief of staff of the U.S. Army is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest military body in the country, responsible for military policy-making, advising civilian leaders and broad operational issues. The Chiefs, who also head the Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps, are responsible for recruiting, training and equipping the U.S. military, and providing that force to field commanders around the world.

Suicide Bomber Kills Iraqi Police Recruits

By Margaret Besheer Baghdad 10 April 2007

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Iraqi police say a female suicide bomber attacked a police recruitment center north of Baghdad, killing at least 16 recruits and injuring more than 33 others. Meanwhile, on a visit to Japan, Iraq's prime minister, Nouri al-Maliki, said there is no need to set a timetable for the withdrawal of coalition forces. From Baghdad, VOA's Margaret Besheer has more on the day's developments.

Police say the suicide bomber was a woman, who approached the police recruiting center and then detonated her explosives. The attack took place in Muqdadiya, a mainly Sunni Arab town about 90 kilometers northeast of Baghdad.

There was also violence inside the capital, where security operations are in their eighth week. A bomb exploded near Baghdad University, killing and injuring several people.

Fierce fighting was also reported between U.S. and Iraqi forces and gunmen in the Sunni neighborhood of Fadhil. The U.S. military said two of its helicopters in Baghdad came under small arms fire, but returned safely to base.

The U.S. military also announced the deaths of four more American soldiers killed on Monday. Three died in a roadside bomb blast in Baghdad and the other in the volatile western al-Anbar province. April has been a deadly month for U.S. troops, with nearly 45 killed in the first nine days.

Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki holds a press conference in Tokyo Tuesday, 10 April 2007

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, who is on a four-day visit to Japan, says there is no need to set a timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq.

He told reporters progress on the security situation is being made daily and the Iraqis are assuming more responsibility for it. He said he sees no need for a withdrawal timetable, because the Iraqis are working as fast as they can. He added that what will govern the departure of international forces will be how confident the Iraqis are in the handover process and what accomplishments they make, not a timetable.

Monday, thousands of Iraqis protested the continued presence of U.S. and foreign forces on the fourth anniversary of the fall of Baghdad. The peaceful demonstration, held in the southern Shi'ite holy city of Najaf, was called by anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr. The cleric is believed to be in hiding in neighboring Iran and did not attend the protest.

While in Tokyo, Mr. Maliki also secured more than $100 billion in loans for reconstruction projects focusing on the oil, agriculture, water and power sectors.

VOASE0410_Health Report

10 April 2007

Looking for Weight-Loss Answers
Many people struggle with losing weight, and keeping it off. But experts say the most successful plans include a well-balanced diet and exercise.

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This is the VOA Special English Health Report.

A listener has written from China for advice about how to lose weight. Michael

in Shanghai says he is twenty-six years old and has battled obesity for most of his life.

Doctors say obesity, also known as severe overweight, is a complex condition. A doctor may advise medical interventions in addition to changes in behavior. But experts say the most successful weight-loss plans include a well-balanced diet and exercise.

People who want to avoid weight gain have to balance the number of calories they eat with the number of calories they use. To lose weight, you can reduce the number of calories you take in, or increase the number you use, or both.

Experts at the National Institutes of Health say to lose weight, a person should do an hour of moderate to intensive physical activity most days of the week. This could include fast walking, sports or strength training.

You should also follow a nutritious eating plan and take in fewer calories than your body uses each day.

A recent study looked at four of the most popular dieting plans in the United States. Researchers at Stanford University in California studied more than three hundred overweight women, mostly in their thirties and forties.

Each woman went on one of the four plans: Atkins, The Zone, Ornish or LEARN. The women attended diet classes and received written information about the food plans.

At the end of a year, the women on the Atkins diet had lost the most, more than four and one-half kilograms on average. They also did better on tests including cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Christopher Gardner led the study, reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He says the Atkins diet may be more successful because of its simple message to lower intake of sugars. Also, he says the advice to increase protein in the diet leads to more satisfying meals.

He says there was not enough money to also study men, but that men would probably have similar results.

But last week, another report suggested that only a small minority of people have long-term success with dieting. The report in the journal American Psychologist was based on thirty-one studies.

Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles, medical school found that most dieters regained their lost weight within five years. And often they gained back even more. But those who kept the weight off generally were the ones who exercised.

And that's the VOA Special English Health Report, written by Caty Weaver. I’m Katherine Cole.

VOASE0410_Explorations

10 April 2007

Exploring the Richly Detailed History and Art of Woodworking
Learn about the different methods of working with wood. And meet Phil Brown, a wood turner in Bethesda, Maryland.

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VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. At a store called

Phil Brown at work turning a bowl on his lathe

Sansar Gallery in Bethesda, Maryland, you might see work by the wood turner Phil Brown. His many wooden bowls and containers have a smooth and modern look.

One tall bowl with a wide opening is made from black cherry wood. It is so perfectly formed it is hard to believe it is handmade. How did Phil Brown make this bowl? We will answer this question as we explore the many artistic traditions of wood.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

People from almost all cultures throughout history have been making objects from wood. Some of the first wooden objects included weapons and tools. Early cultures also learned to make boats, buildings and furniture for the home from this material. However, it is not always easy to say which wooden objects existed during a historical period because they often did not last as long as objects made from clay or metal.

VOICE TWO:

Experts say most current woodworking tools were developed by the beginning of the Bronze Age, about five thousand years ago. These tools include the saw, ax, chisel and drill which are used to cut and shape wood in different ways. The lathe may have been developed as early as two thousand seven hundred years ago.

This tool holds and rotates the wood. As the wood turns, the wood worker uses a sharp tool to slowly and evenly cut pieces from the wood.

VOICE ONE:

There are many methods of woodworking and each culture has its own traditions. Artistic wood creations include architectural decoration on buildings, furniture for the home or even carved animals.

For example, in Thailand, richly detailed carvings from teak and other hard woods are an important part of ancient palaces and religious buildings. Woodcarvers were a very important group of artists. A person needed many years of training with experts to be a wood carver. Wood carvings often include plant forms such as the lotus flower as well as figures taken from Hindu and Buddhist religious stories.

VOICE TWO:

The carvings are very detailed and must be carefully planned. Usually, a carver draws out the patterns and forms on paper. Then the artist cuts holes along the outlines of the design. This paper is placed on the piece of wood then covered with chalk dust.

The white chalk dust goes through the holes in the paper and marks the wood so the carver has a visual guide to begin cutting. Finished woodcarvings are often painted, sometimes with gold to reflect the surrounding light. These expertly made golden carvings give an airy lightness to Thai buildings.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Some wood working traditions developed more recently. For example, wood artists in

An animal carved by Manuel Jimenez

the state of Oaxaca in Mexico have been carving mask face coverings and toys for hundreds of years. But Manuel Jimenez became one of the most famous carvers in Oaxaca by creating a newer tradition.

In the nineteen fifties, he saw a growing demand for traditional Mexican art that visitors wanted to buy. He decided to experiment with new kinds of wood and forms. He started carving expressive animals such as frogs, coyotes and rabbits out of copal wood.

Soon, his whole family started helping produce these lively, wooden creatures. The Jimenez men carved the creations while the women painted them with bright colors and patterns. Other wood carvers in the area also started making their own kinds of animals. Now, Oaxaca is famous for this special kind of wood art.

VOICE TWO:

Colorful paints are not the only way to finish a wood object. In countries like Japan and China there is a rich tradition of painting wooden bowls, boxes and other objects with lacquer. The first kinds of lacquer were made from resin material taken from special trees. Lacquer paint creates a very hard and smooth surface over the wood and protects it from water. Japanese and Chinese lacquer work is often red or black. Sometimes it can be decorated with pieces of silver or gold metal to create an image.

VOICE ONE:

And, sometimes wood can even decorate wood. Inlay is a way of decorating wood with a pattern or image made out of small pieces of wood. The many small pieces of wood can have different colors or patterns. Some inlay experts in seventeenth century France and Spain added valuable materials like shiny mother-of-pearl or tortoise shell to the detailed wood inlay.

VOICE TWO:

In the United States, the Shaker tradition of furniture making is known for its simplicity of form. The Shakers were a religious community that came to the United States in the eighteenth century from England. They practiced an intense form of spiritual observance and believed strongly in the value of hard work and keeping busy.

An example of a Shaker chair

The Shakers developed their own style of furniture. They designed it very carefully with the idea that making something well was an act of prayer. They made furniture that was as simple and useful as possible because they believed extra details and designs were unnecessary and wrong. But their furniture in its total simplicity became famous for its beauty.

Chairs to sit on are probably the most well known Shaker furniture. The very fine and thin wood pieces give these chairs a clean and graceful look.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Phil Brown is an American artist who creates art with wood in a different way. He lives on a quiet street in Bethesda, Maryland, near Washington, D.C. In his workshop, he turns large pieces of wood into fine containers. Let us meet this expert wood turner whose bowls we talked about earlier and learn how he started his career.

PHIL BROWN:

"I'm Phil Brown. I'm a wood turner. I make bowls out of solid wood. The wood comes from our local trees and I have a shop at my home where I do the work. I've been a wood worker ever since I was a kid. And in the early seventies I wanted to get back to doing some wood work and we saw lots of interesting work in Maine on some trips there and I had a chance to get some apple wood from a friend …what are you going to do with apple wood but maybe turn a bowl out of it. So I bought a used lathe and a book about turning and gradually taught myself to turn a bowl."

VOICE TWO:

A black cherry wood bowl turned by Phil Brown

In the living room of his home Phil Brown has a special area where he shows his finished art. There are bowls of all shapes and sizes. Some are deep and large with reddish brown colored wood. Others are small with yellowish wood that has dark lines and shapes.

Mister Brown can explain exactly where and when he found each tree that he used to make a bowl. And he can show you what all the lines and rings in the wood represent. They are like maps of the tree's life. Some lines are caused by fungus organisms while others show the area where a branch of the tree trunk used to be. But to really understand Mister Brown's wood turning art, you have to visit his workshop downstairs.

VOICE ONE:

The workshop is filled with many tools and machine parts. On one wall there are shelves filled with roughly cut wooden bowls that are drying out. Allowing the wood to dry helps guarantee that it will not change shape later on. Before "turning the bowl thin" Mister Brown puts a layer of epoxy paint material over the roughly cut bowl. This hardens areas of the wood that might be softer or contain fungus. Then, Mister Brown places the bowl on his lathe.

(SOUND)

VOICE TWO:

A bowl made from holly by Phil Brown

The lathe turns the wood quickly. Using a long metal tool called a gouge, Mister Brown slowly cuts away at the wooden form. With great skill he slowly keeps cutting away until the bowl has the right thinness and form.

Then, Mister Brown uses rough sandpaper to smooth the gouge marks in the wood. As the wood becomes smoother, he uses finer and finer kinds of sandpaper. He sometimes fills any holes or cracks with a mixture of epoxy glue, sanding dust, and brown paint. Finished bowls are so smooth and perfect they do not even feel like wood.

VOICE ONE:

Phil Brown shows his beautiful bowls at several fine craft stores and in art shows. He even has a bowl at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum in Washington, D.C. Sometimes he sells works directly from his workshop. His turned wood bowls cost hundreds of dollars. Many people have collections of his bowls in their homes.

Mister Brown says he is influenced by the work of sculptors like Henry Moore and Isamu Noguchi. He says he likes to make bowls that have smooth surfaces and that bring out the natural color of wood. His finely made art is a celebration of the life of a tree and the endless possibilities of wood.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Shirley Griffith.

VOICE ONE:

And I’m ­­­­­Steve Ember. You can read and listen to this program on our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for Explorations in VOA Special English.