“The United Nations is an institution which brings together all of the countries of the world. It is the neutral body through which you endeavour to try to communicate global responses,” Mr Downer said. An interesting viewpoint considering the sanctions being mooted by both the UN and the European Union on Zimbabwe’s human rights abuses.
Mr Downer admitted the United Nations had many failures throughout its history, with more failures than successes. He added however that while the UN is a flawed institution, it is only as flawed as its members allow it to be.
“If you agree, I appreciate that - if you disagree well frankly you are wrong,” he said humorously.
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Sounds just like some of the committee hearings that took place over the course of the week. As is the case with the United Nations proper, diplomacy went out the window and it all too often became a battle of wills and a show of political nous.
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