David Bosco suggests in this morning’s The Multilateralist that the current ASEAN Secretary-General,
“Surin Pitsuwan, a former Thai foreign minister (and a Muslim) who was a serious contender for the UN’s top job during the last election…might yet get another shot…“
Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN
if Ban’s performance continues to draw criticism.
U.S. officials were pushing for Pitsuwan to enter the race in 2006, according to the Bangkok-based The Nation, and believed his candidacy would have also received China’s support. If “people in the circles of Susan Rice and Hillary Clinton [remain] very negative to Ban,” the United States-ASEAN summit later this month may provide them an opportunity to evaluate Pitsuwan as a candidate and possible replacement for Ban.
A Pitsuwan candidacy would ensure that the “Asia’s turn” at the Secretary-Generalship continues through the traditional second term, making Ban’s replacement much less antagonistic toward Asian governments (read, China).
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