U.N. secretary-general defends his approach to the job

Reporting from The United Nations — U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon knew he was taking a risk by traveling to Myanmar this week to plead with the country's ruling generals for a meeting with imprisoned opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Several Western diplomats warned Ban the generals would use his presence to claim legitimacy for their autocratic rule, even as they proceed with what many regard as a show trial of Suu Kyi for allegedly violating terms of her house arrest.

But regional powers China and India argued that engagement was more likely to soften the regime's hard line against political opposition.

Ban did not get the meeting with Suu Kyi on Friday, though he emerged from two hours of talks with Senior Gen. Than Shwe saying he had urged the regime to "accelerate the process of democratization."

Before he left on his trip, Ban sat down in his United Nations office to discuss Myanmar, Iran and growing criticism that his soft-spoken style has diminished the secretary-general's moral clout. You've focused on issues such as hunger and climate change, but one of the criticisms about your time as secretary-general is that the U.N. has been marginalized on security issues.

The U.N. has been cooperating with key players and regional organizations. The perception you raise is because in the past the U.N. was the only universal body. Now you have the emergence of many regional entities -- the European Union, the African Union. Look at the case of many African conflicts. The African Union wants to take leadership, with strong [U.N.] material support, financial support and political support. Even in Darfur, we have a joint partnership. To people who have not been closely following, the United Nations has been marginalized. But that is simply not true. That's an argument for efficiency. But what people miss is the moral voice they used to hear from the secretary-general.

It is not only the United Nations that can raise a moral voice. But when it comes to universally accepted principles, the United Nations has been very vocal. When there are civilian casualties, crimes which should be condemned in the name of humanity, sexual violence against women, I have been more vocal than any world leaders. And I was swift in going to Myanmar. I was the first, and as of now the only one, who has gone into Myanmar and talked to Senior Gen. Than Shwe.

In order to meet the generals, do you have to trade off the moral elements of the job?