[A2k] Intervention by USA at WIPO: WIPO Internal Audit Reports Issued Since the Last General Assembly (aka IAOD/INV/2006/2)

[Thiru Balasubramaniam]

http://www.usmission.ch/Press2007/1001WIPOTichenor.html

Comments by the United States of America

Regarding Agenda Item 12,
WIPO Internal Audit Reports Issued Since the Last General Assembly (aka
IAOD/INV/2006/2)

Statement by Ambassador Warren W. Tichenor
Permanent Representative of the United States of America
to the United Nations and International Organizations

Geneva,
October 1, 2007

=B7         Thank you Mr. Chairman.  Thank you too for your faithful
report on the results of the Friends of the Chair Group's discussion.
You promised to faithfully report the results and we thank you for
having done so. Please forgive me but as I don't have the talent of
confusion, distortion and double speak so prevalent these days, I'll
speak very plainly and very clearly.

=B7         One week into this WIPO General Assembly we're still at a
stalemate on Agenda Item 12.   The Internal Auditor's report about
something so absolutely fundamental as the judgment, integrity and
character of the Director General of WIPO.   The Friends of the Chair
group has spent a week and cannot even decide if the internal auditors
report is a valid one, if it should be reviewed =96 and many of  the
Friends of the Chair have represented that they have not availed
themselves of the opportunity to read the report =96 even though it has
been available for 11 months now =96 much less what the serious concerns
and conclusions in the report mean for the future of the Director
General and for WIPO.

=B7         The United States is committed to a strong and vibrant WIPO.
The vital work ahead for this important organization demands of its top
leadership a Director General that is above reproach =96 and not
surrounded with serious questions, allegations and evidence which
seriously question his character, integrity and judgment.

=B7         Let me simply say to all of the member states of WIPO, the
Director General and the people who work at WIPO, there is evidence in
the Internal Auditors report which is clear and incontrovertible that
the Director General's conduct constituted a violation of WIPO Staff
Rules & Regulations; that these acts cannot be considered a mere
administrative error; that without the use of an incorrect birth date
the Director General's career path would not have been the same;  and
this repeated series of errors in judgment rise to the level of
violations of WIPO's Staff Rules and Regulations.

=B7         While we're asking questions, we ask a simple question:  Does
the Director General deny that the repeated series of errors in
judgment have cast a serious pall on his leadership =96 both within and
outside of the organization =96 and that these errors in judgment
constitute a violation of WIPO Staff Rules & Regulations? Yes or No? We
ask for a yes or no answer.

=B7        Mr. Chairman, the concept of integrity is enshrined in the
Charter of the United Nations.   The Standards of Conduct for the
International Civil Service state that this concept embraces all
aspects of the behavior of an international civil servant, including
such qualities as honesty, truthfulness, impartiality and
incorruptibility.   The Standards of Conduct emphasize that these
qualities are as basic as those of competence and efficiency.

=B7        The highest official of any agency in the United Nations
system must therefore be above reproach and of the highest integrity.

=B7        The report that is the subject of this discussion, WIPO
Internal Audit Report IAOD/INV/2006/2, has been available, in
accordance with the WIPO Audit Charter, to all member states since it
was issued in November 2006, 11 months ago.

=B7        The report also concludes that Director General made false
statements on his original application for employment at WIPO and in
official submissions thereafter and in so doing appears to violated
both this organization's Staff Rules and Regulations and the principles
I have just cited =96 those which govern the conduct of international
civil servants.

=B7        The report reveals that during the period 1982 to 2006,
Director General used at least two different birth dates, one for
employment purposes at WIPO and the other for personal purposes.

=B7        The report also concludes that Director General knew since
filing his original application for employment with WIPO in 1982 that
the birth date reflected on this document was incorrect.

=B7        The report states that notwithstanding Director General's
admission that he was aware of the inconsistencies, and despite the
numerous opportunities that presented themselves to rectify this error,
he failed to rectify the discrepancies.

=B7        As the Internal Auditor's report explains, these actions
appear to violate WIPO Staff Regulations and the standards of conduct
for UN Civil Servants and led Director General to receive positions and
benefits to which he would not otherwise have been eligible.
Moreover, his newly-asserted age seems likely to provide additional
financial benefits.

=B7        The credibility of an international organization like WIPO
depends on its honest and ethical administration.   All staff members,
but especially those who lead the organization, must be held to the
highest standards of ethical behavior.

=B7        The Director General, like any other civil servant, must be
held accountable for his conduct.

=B7        To that end, the United States calls for an urgent convocation
of WIPO's Coordination Committee to review, evaluate and take
appropriate action on this report and demonstrate to the United Nations
community that WIPO as an organization is committed to implementing the
ideals enshrined in the United Nations Charter.

=B7        We as Member States have the high moral obligation and owe it
the nations we represent, and to the United Nations Charter we have
pledged to uphold, to fulfill our duty to exercise leadership and
oversight of this organization without fear or favor.

=B7        Failure to so =96 that is, failing to address serious alleged
misconduct on the part of the highest official of this agency =96 would
call into question the integrity and very future of this organization.

=B7        To the Director General we say:  clearly and convincingly
answer the allegations against you in open forum in this General
Assembly before Member States, or heed those calling for new leadership
at WIPO.

=B7        We strongly urge our fellow Member States to take action, now.

=B7        Thank you Mr. Chairman.

---------------------------------
Thiru Balasubramaniam
Geneva Representative
Knowledge Ecology International (KEI)
voice +41.22.791.6727
fax +41.22.723.2988
mobile +41 76 508 0997
thiru@keionline.org