A former senior UN official has defended Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon after critics accused the UN chief of failing to take on China and Russia in pushing for a war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka.
Ban said he lacks the authority to personally order an inquiry into allegations of mass killings of civilians in the final months of the island nation's bloody civil war in 2009.
The advocacy group Human Rights Watch say he could set up an international investigation without the backing of the UN security council.
Critics say Ban is reluctant to take on China and Russia - veto-wielding permament council members who are against a probe into the Sri Lankan conflict - as he intends to stand for re-election for the UN's top job and needs their backing.
But Mark Malloch Brown, who was Kofi Annan's deputy in 2006, told Channel 4 News Ban is in an almost impossible position as a "new cold war of ideas" puts Western liberals on a collision course with China and Russia on human rights.
A 200-page report commissioned by Ban concluded that up to 40,000 civilians may have died in the final act of the Sri Lankan government's war against the Tamil Tiger rebels. The report accuses the government of widespread shelling including targeting field hospitals, as well as other violations of human rights
It's clear that for any Secretary-General facing re-election, he is walking in a political minefield." John J Metzler
The former South Korean foreign minister has not publicly declared his candidacy for the election, but diplomats say he has made his intentions to seek re-election clear in private, and the United States and other key Security Council members have given preliminary pledges of support for a second five-year term.
John J Metzler, a veteran UN correspondent and lecturer in Asian Studies at St John's University in New York, told Channel 4 News: "I believe he clearly seeks re-election, and he's certainly within his rights to do such.
Ban said he lacks the authority to personally order an inquiry into allegations of mass killings of civilians in the final months of the island nation's bloody civil war in 2009.
The advocacy group Human Rights Watch say he could set up an international investigation without the backing of the UN security council.
Critics say Ban is reluctant to take on China and Russia - veto-wielding permament council members who are against a probe into the Sri Lankan conflict - as he intends to stand for re-election for the UN's top job and needs their backing.
But Mark Malloch Brown, who was Kofi Annan's deputy in 2006, told Channel 4 News Ban is in an almost impossible position as a "new cold war of ideas" puts Western liberals on a collision course with China and Russia on human rights.
A 200-page report commissioned by Ban concluded that up to 40,000 civilians may have died in the final act of the Sri Lankan government's war against the Tamil Tiger rebels. The report accuses the government of widespread shelling including targeting field hospitals, as well as other violations of human rights
It's clear that for any Secretary-General facing re-election, he is walking in a political minefield." John J Metzler
Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa has urged supporters to rally on May Day against which the report, which the government says is based on false accusations from human rights groups and pro-Tiger members of the Tamil diaspora.
Ban said an international investigation would need the co-operation of the Sri Lankan government - something it has already rejected - or a Security Council referral likely to be vetoed by China and Russia.
Last week Ban appeared to call for Russia to support his expected bid for a potential second term in the top UN post after the end of this year, telling President Dmitry Medvedev: "I'd like to really count on your strong support, leadership and guidance in continuing my work as Secretary-General."
A spokesman for Ban later denied he was asking for personal support, saying: "What he was asking for was Russia's support for the full range of United Nations work on major topics."
Ban said an international investigation would need the co-operation of the Sri Lankan government - something it has already rejected - or a Security Council referral likely to be vetoed by China and Russia.
Last week Ban appeared to call for Russia to support his expected bid for a potential second term in the top UN post after the end of this year, telling President Dmitry Medvedev: "I'd like to really count on your strong support, leadership and guidance in continuing my work as Secretary-General."
A spokesman for Ban later denied he was asking for personal support, saying: "What he was asking for was Russia's support for the full range of United Nations work on major topics."
The former South Korean foreign minister has not publicly declared his candidacy for the election, but diplomats say he has made his intentions to seek re-election clear in private, and the United States and other key Security Council members have given preliminary pledges of support for a second five-year term.
John J Metzler, a veteran UN correspondent and lecturer in Asian Studies at St John's University in New York, told Channel 4 News: "I believe he clearly seeks re-election, and he's certainly within his rights to do such.
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