THE SECRETARY GENERAL IN HIS LABYRINTH

Here, Katz discusses whether Ban Ki-moon can save the UN from irrelevance. Among other things, between the lights of Long Island City and Ban Ki-moon stood a stretch of wooden desk, a well-kept ornamental tree, a window, and the East River. The 70-year-old secretary-general was proud of the window, part of the 38-story glass curtain that covers the face of the UN building. In twelve hours, at 8 AM, Sep 23, he was to take his seat in front of the General Assembly and open one of the most important conferences of his life--a world summit on climate change. More than 100 heads of state and government would be there, Pres Barack Obama among the featured speakers and Leonardo DiCaprio would provide opening remarks. Ban did not know that an argument was raging down the hall which threatened to overshadow the whole thing.