[QUOTE]THE most senior Chinese official at the United Nations has made a personal apology to Secretary General Ban Ki-moon for an alcohol fuelled rant at the UN leader.
Sha Zukang, under secretary general for economic and social affairs, erupted at a retreat for top UN officials last week when he told Dr Ban: "I know you never liked me Mr Secretary General - well, I never liked you, either."
He also told the dinner "I don't really like Americans" and that he had not wanted to move to New York, according to diplomats and UN officials.
Mr Sha has a record of outspoken comments and officials who were at the dinner, at an Austrian resort, said he had
been drinking before his speech.
"Sha Zukang was deeply apologetic when he met the secretary general in person early the following morning at his own request," said Farhan Haq, a UN spokesman.
"He said that he had risen to speak the previous evening because he felt that recent criticisms of the secretary general had been unfair and that he wanted to set the record straight.
"However, Sha told the secretary general that he realised that the way that he spoke, coming as it did after he had had a few drinks, was inappropriate, as it went too far.
"He was also aware that his statements had embarrassed and irritated other senior advisers."
Other UN leaders at the dinner tried to get him to stop speaking, officials said. Some said they believed he had been trying to make a tribute that had gone very wrong. He said he had come to admire the UN.
Mr Sha was not available for comment. His actions will embarrass China, which has been working hard to improve its UN credentials, contributing increased numbers of peacekeepers for missions around the world.
China pressed for Sha to be named to the post in 2007.
In 2006, when asked about US criticism of China's increasing military power, he told the BBC in an interview: "It's better for the US to shut up. Keep quiet. It's much, much better."
Mr Sha is a former senior arms negotiator for China. His duties as under secretary general include following up major UN summits and he is also responsible for organising a global conference on sustainable development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in 2012.[/QUOTE]
Source: [url]http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/un-diplomat-sorry-for-boozy-speech/story-e6frfku0-1225921758365[/url]
:cheers:
:)
How diplomatic.
:(
the wonders of diplomatic relations - noone likes anyone but protocol makes you
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