Kevin Rudd was at the center of attention at the UN this week, mainly because he wasn’t there. Nine candidates to be the next UN secretary-general addressed the General Assembly between Tuesday and Thursday. Star attractions included two former prime ministers: Antonio Guterres of Portugal and Helen Clark of New Zealand. But there was much muttering in the margins of the UN about prospective candidates who have yet to enter the race, including Rudd.
The last week’s hearings were meant to be an unprecedented non-event (not a contradiction in terms in New York diplomacy). The UN has never held formal sessions …read more