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U.N. Secretary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar: The Office and the Man
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ISA paperHawaii, March 2005References incompleteFebruary 14 draft
Religion, Ethics, and Reality: A Study of Javier Perez de Cuellar
By: Barbara Ann J. Rieffer and David P. Forsythe
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“The Secretary-General is supposed to be a kind of a conscience of theinternational community, he has to be honest enough to say what he reallybelieves without being moved by such considerations as whethermember countries will like or dislike his report”- Perez de Cuellar
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I. Introduction
This essay looks at the role of Perez de Cuellar and the extent to which his
personal values influenced him during his tenure as UN Secretary-General between 1982and 1991. The research question at the heart of this essay inquires whether, during theseten years as Secretary General, Perez de Cuellar’s personal values--whether religious,ethical, or otherwise-- shaped his initiatives and decisions to any great extent. Orconversely, does the office, shaped as it is by legal and political factors, leave little roomfor exercising influence based on personal values?
Much of the relevant literature suggests that the personal qualities of the Secretary
General can sometimes count in the exercise of influence.
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The well known example of
Dag Hammarskjold shows how strong personal characteristics, including a messianiccomplex, can affect what the Secretary General attempts and how he goes about it. Ofcourse, how successful he is in his initiatives is an entirely different matter. Still, it is aformidable challenge to try to separate the legal and political factors that affect the officefrom the ethical and religious values of the person who tries to perform "the mostimpossible job in the world."
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We would like to thank the Guetzkow Family Trust for the financial support which was provided to
conduct this research project.
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Perez de Cuellar, “Interview with Perez de Cuellar,” Third World Quarterly, Vol 6, Number 1 (January
1984), 13-24.
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Leon Gordenker, The United Nations Secretary General and the Maintenance of Peace, (New York:
Columbia University Press, 1967); Leon Gordenker and Benjamin Rivlin, eds., The Challenging Role of theUnited Nations Secretary-General (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1993); Arthur W.Rovine, The First Fifty Years of the Secretary-General in World Politics, (Leyden, NL: A. W. Sijthoff,1970).
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| | Authors: Forsythe, David. |
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1
ISA paper
Hawaii, March 2005
References incomplete
February 14 draft
Religion, Ethics, and Reality: A Study of Javier Perez de Cuellar
By: Barbara Ann J. Rieffer and David P. Forsythe
1
“The Secretary-General is supposed to be a kind of a conscience of the
international community, he has to be honest enough to say what he really
believes without being moved by such considerations as whether
member countries will like or dislike his report”- Perez de Cuellar
2
I. Introduction
This essay looks at the role of Perez de Cuellar and the extent to which his
personal values influenced him during his tenure as UN Secretary-General between 1982
and 1991. The research question at the heart of this essay inquires whether, during these
ten years as Secretary General, Perez de Cuellar’s personal values--whether religious,
ethical, or otherwise-- shaped his initiatives and decisions to any great extent. Or
conversely, does the office, shaped as it is by legal and political factors, leave little room
for exercising influence based on personal values?
Much of the relevant literature suggests that the personal qualities of the Secretary
General can sometimes count in the exercise of influence.
3
The well known example of
Dag Hammarskjold shows how strong personal characteristics, including a messianic
complex, can affect what the Secretary General attempts and how he goes about it. Of
course, how successful he is in his initiatives is an entirely different matter. Still, it is a
formidable challenge to try to separate the legal and political factors that affect the office
from the ethical and religious values of the person who tries to perform "the most
impossible job in the world."
1
We would like to thank the Guetzkow Family Trust for the financial support which was provided to
conduct this research project.
2
Perez de Cuellar, “Interview with Perez de Cuellar,” Third World Quarterly, Vol 6, Number 1 (January
1984), 13-24.
3
Leon Gordenker, The United Nations Secretary General and the Maintenance of Peace, (New York:
Columbia University Press, 1967); Leon Gordenker and Benjamin Rivlin, eds., The Challenging Role of the
United Nations Secretary-General (Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 1993); Arthur W.
Rovine, The First Fifty Years of the Secretary-General in World Politics, (Leyden, NL: A. W. Sijthoff,
1970).
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