반기문 유엔 사무총장 인터뷰 (2012년 11월 7일)

미국의 World Policy Institute (세계정책연구소)가 발행하는 계간지 'World Policy Journal' 가을호에 반기문 유엔 사무총장 인터뷰가 실렸습니다. 이것을 읽어 보면 반 사무총장은 이제 '한국인'이 아니라 진정한 의미의 '세계인'이라는 생각이 듭니다. 

나, 우리 가족, 우리 회사, 우리 나라만 생각하는 우리들에게 세계를 보라고, 이 넓은 세상에 얼마나 많은 사람들이 애쓰며 살아가고 있는지 보라고 직접 말하진 않지만 그가 하는 다른 말들 속에 그 메시지가 공통적으로 담겨 있습니다. 인터뷰 내용이 재미있고 유익하지만 좀 길어서 일부만 옮겨둡니다. 영어 공부 겸해서 읽어 보시면 좋겠습니다.

WPJ: By December of this year, we will have had 24 nations electing new heads of state or government. In 82 countries, people will be going to the polls in some fashion or other, the largest single electoral tsunami in world history. You’re at the top of the United Nations. What does this mean for you as Secretary General and for the world? What would you hope to see emerge by the end of this year? (올 12월까지 24개 나라의 수반이 바뀌고 82개국에서 선거가 치러져, 역사상 최대의 '선거 쓰나미'가 몰려온다. 유엔 사무총장으로서 당신은 이것의 의미가 뭐라고 생각하는가?)

 

BAN KI-MOON: This is exactly what I’ve been speaking to leaders about. on the African continent alone, we have seen 20 to 25 elections. When you say electoral tsunami, I think that is quite an interesting description. I agree with that. The numbers speak for themselves. People around the world want to be represented by credibly elected leaders. But unfortunately the elections sometimes have become the source of division rather than unity. Both situations have become a great concern for the United Nations. That’s why we have been trying to provide technical and logistical support to many countries in the developing world that are having elections. At the same time, we should not focus too much on numbers. It takes a lot more than an election to create a democratic society. I think that democracy cannot be established over one or two elections. This is what we are now experiencing. We need to continuously engage with people, so that, first of all they can conduct elections credibly and in a fair and objective manner. ('선거 쓰나미' 참 재미있는 표현이다. 모든 세계인은 믿을 만한 사람이 선출되어 자신들을 대변해주길 바라지만 때로는 선거 결과가 통합보다 분열을 가져온다. 민주적 사회는 선거만으로 이루어지지 않기 때문에 선거의 숫자에 너무 많은 관심을 기울일 필요는 없다. 우선은 선거가 공정하고 객관적으로 이루어지는 게 중요하다.)

WPJ: You have won a second term as Secretary General now. What do you hope to accomplish in your second term that you couldn’t accomplish in your first? Especially in the fields of conflict and democracy. (유엔 사무총장으로 재선되었는데, 첫 번째 임기에서 하지 못한 일 중에 이번에 꼭 해내고 싶은 일은?)

 

BAN KI-MOON: In January this year, I reported to the General Assembly my “Five-Action Agendas,” which I have termed the five general opportunities for the next five years. Those are, first, sustainable development. That is going to be the number one priority of the United Nations. We had a successful summit meeting in Rio de Janeiro last month. We have adopted a very concrete document setting forth the outcomes. This will be implemented. As you mentioned, prevention of conflict will be a very important priority for me. Now, when it comes to prevention, I mean man-made political conflict and also natural disasters. We have lost so many human lives, and therefore by employing preventive diplomacy, mediation, and facilitation, we’d like to see all this conflict prevented from happening. This will be a continuing priority for my leadership during the forthcoming five years. And also I’m asking many countries to make the preparations for disaster risk reduction. The third priority will be making this world more secure and peaceful through the core responsibility of the United Nations. We have 20,000 peacekeepers deployed in 16 different missions. We will fully utilize those forces to protect civilian populations and to keep peace and stability. Another responsibility will be to help those countries in transition. We have already discussed many countries, like Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen, Libya—we have to help those people so that their political stability and socio-economic development are sustainable. Last but not least, we’re working for women and gender empowerment, and working for youth. I think we need to do more, to provide decent job opportunities, balanced opportunities for them in political and socio-economic fields. Those five areas the UN, under my leadership, will pursue in the coming five years. (지난 1월 유엔총회에서 보고한 대로 5가지 실행 목표를 실현하기 위해 노력할 것이다. 그 첫째는 지속가능한 개발, 둘째는 갈등의 예방과 해결이다. 갈등은 사람이 초래하는 정치적 갈등부터 자연재해까지 모두를 포함한다. 셋째는 안정과 평화이다. 지금 유엔은 18개 평화유지군을 배치해두고 있는데, 이들을 통해 세계의 시민들을 보호하고 평화와 안정을 진작하기 위해 최대한 노력할 것이다. 마지막으로 우리는 여성의 지위 향상을 목표로 좋은 일자리와 균등한 기회를 제공하기 위해 노력할 것이다. 

 

WPJ: Now, Mr. Secretary General, a lot of these areas, which are commendable, require strong economic underpinnings as well as strong military underpinnings in some cases. Do you think that the first priority should be strengthening the global economy, and perhaps strengthening the military muscle of the United Nations as well? (이런 일들은 경제력과 군사력의 강력한 뒷받침을 필요로 하는 경우가 있는데, 그렇다면 세계경제와 유엔의 군사력을 키우는 걸 우선순위에 두겠다는 건가?)

 

BAN KI-MOON: I believe that if we succeed in producing harmonious and balanced development, this will be the key to solving all political issues. When there is absolute despair, there is absolutely no possibility of maintaining the peace. This provides a breeding ground for mistrust, and mistrust becomes conflict, and conflict becomes war. Therefore, sustainable development, in terms of providing food, water, energy, and livable cities—I think these will provide a very good foundation for the international community to promote politically sustainable security and peace. All these, I think, are interconnected. That is why we are trying to have a comprehensive approach—addressing political, social, and economic issues overall and especially sustainable development issues. 

Therefore, in this context, we sincerely hope that the current ongoing international economic crisis will be overcome by the major economic powers, particularly in Europe. The United Nations is not promoting any military capacity building. We are maintaining a minimum number of peacekeeping forces. These peacekeeping forces are deployed only by a decision of the Security Council on a case-by-case basis considering all factors. Therefore what the United Nations is promoting is to create favorable conditions for all political, social, economic fields including environmental uses. (조화롭고 균형된 개발의 성공이 정치적 문제들을 해결하는 열쇠라고 생각한다. 지속가능한 개발은 음식, 물, 에너지, 살 만한 도시들을 포괄하는 목표이며, 이것이야말로 정치적인 안정과 평화의 진작에 기여한다. 바로 이런 점에서 우리는 유럽을 비롯한 주요 부유국들이 현재의 경제 위기를 극복하기 바란다. 유엔은 최소한의 군사력만을 유지하고 증강하지 않는다. 유엔의 목표는 모든 정치적, 사회적, 경제적 문제들의 해결에 도움되는 환경을 조성하는 것이다.   

 

WPJ: Okay, well Mr. Secretary General, we very much appreciate your spending this time with us, and we will be following your progress closely. (바쁘신데 시간 내주시어 감사하다. 앞으로 하시는 일을 지켜 보겠다.)

 

BAN KI-MOON: As the Secretary General, I will spare no efforts to realize all these five actions on my agenda. I may lose some sleep about the problems we face, but I’m telling you very personally that I wake up each morning, eager to work as hard as I can to meet the global public’s expectations. I start every day as if it is my very first day of my first term and am very much honored, but at the same time, very much humbled by all the challenges which we have to address. We need the support of all member states—not only governments, but business communities and civil societies and all religious and other organizations. only with this partnership will we be able to address all these issues, and I will count on your support. (말씀드린 다섯 개 목표의 실행을 위해 노력을 아끼지 않을 것이다. 직면하고 있는 문제들 때문에 잠 못 이룰 때도 있지만 매일 아침 일어나면 세계인들의 기대를 충족시키기 위해 열심히 일한다. 우리에겐 전 세계의 지지가 필요하다. 정부들뿐만 아니라 사업가들, 시민사회들, 종교 단체들을 비롯한 모든 단체들의 지원이 필요하다. 이런 파트너십이 있어야 모든 문제들을 해결할 수 있다. 여러분이 지지하고 지원해주시리라 믿는다.)