WASHINGTON, June 19 (UPI) -- Focusing and personalizing U.N. reform on Secretary-General Kofi Annan is a distraction, said former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on "Fox News Sunday."
"The member states have the power to reform the United Nations any time the member states want to do so, and I think between now and September we have a real opportunity to pass substantive reform," Gingrich said.
"But I think trying to focus on him would, frankly, lead to a political fight inside the U.N. that wouldn't get you very far. Whereas focusing on the reforms may actually get very substantial change."
Gingrich, a Republican, along with former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, a Democrat, co-chaired a congressional task force that made several recommendations to improve U.N. effectiveness.
"We didn't encounter anyone from Annan on down who said there's no problem, go away," Mitchell said. "Everybody said we know there's a problem, something has to be done, and we welcome your recommendations."
