December 24, 2014
Hammarskjöld Tower, Jerusalem, U.N.I.Z.
My host is running late but I had no reason to complain. The sun set over the Holy Land a few minutes ago, and the city lights reflecting off the light snow flurries turned the view from the 50th story window a real-life snow globe. It was hard to not to be moved by the view. “When I first saw this office I thought it was too much,” Secretary-General Bergoglio said from behind me, “but it is hard to deny it is a beautiful view.” The 78-year old world leader walks up to me with the energy of a man half his age, and I shake his hand. “The beauty of Jerusalem is enough to even bring some non-believers to tears.” I ask him if he was a religious man, he was working on Christmas Eve after all. “I was in seminary once, but I left that behind.” Perhaps pushing my luck I ask why. With a smile he answers, “For a woman, of course.” He gestures for us to sit and offers me a drink.
The office space, despite the luxurious view, was rather unadorned. The simply paneling betrayed the towers early 70s origins, with a United Nations flag in the corner next to a well-stocked built-in bookshelf (with a tiny Argentinian flag on it). Bergoglio asked if I was thirsty and buzzed for some beverages. He sat at a table with me instead of behind his desk and a staffer brought in two glasses of mint lemonade, ubiquitous throughout the Middle East. I knew the Secretary-General liked to chat generally before getting down to business so I waited patiently and let him steer the conversation. He darts from the American midterms to the new Director of the International Clearing Union to the Pope’s Christmas address. I did not realize it at the time but he had turned the interview around on me. “So is this your first visit to the city?” It was. “And how do you find it?” Magical was not the right word but it was close.
The Secretary-General knew what I was trying to get at. “There’s certainly a sense of the serene here during this season, knowing Bethlehem is right over there.” He got up from the table and walked to the window and pointed towards the little town. “Look at where we are from 2000 years ago, or even 70 years ago. Don’t quote me on this, but Jerusalem is the capital of the world now. This ‘International Zone’ is the UN incarnate, a realization of what used to just be a dream. I walk here every day, and probably hear more than 50 languages before I get to work. Back on the record, now, when I tell people about the UN’s accomplishments, I mean it as short-hand for what humans can achieve. This city, as it is, and Palestine as a whole was born out of the worst events in history, but look now. Hard, painful work has paid off. This is what Dag dreamed of.”
If I though he was active before, then Bergoglio was beaming now. “I met him once, he continued, in Buenos Aires. He was about my age now then…” I asked if he meant Dag Hammarskjöld, “Yes... he was no longer Secretary-General, of course, but he was the guest of honor for the opening of the UN embassy in Buenos Aires, I had a mid-level post for the Cancillería at the time. He shook hands and met only briefly, but I was delighted.”
I tried to steer the conversation back to my topic. I asked him about protests in Bahrain and Zanzibar. With a heavy sigh, Bergoglio responded, “Yes, those IZs have had ‘concerns’ of late, but I do see a light at the end of the tunnel. We’ve made great strides with negotiations with one of the Zanizbar protest leaders, Farrokh Bulsara, and I think we are close to a power sharing agreement.” He began slipping into talking points once it was business, “The UN has peacefully resolved these sorts of situations before, the Ryuku IZ for example, and I am confident we will be able to find an amicable agreement here once more.”
I pushed my luck and brought out the colonization argument, “I’ve been very clear on this position before that I think that argument is nonsense. The UN has a global identity – it being founded by the Allies, including colonial powers, matters, yes, but decolonization has been an important goal since day one for us. Our IZs put local concerns first and foremost, and have always included and typically rely on local leadership as well. Several IZs have historical connections to colonization – this one included, but again that is because the IZs typically have been based on disputed areas or small enclaves that come from a result of decolonizing, not continuing it. Again, as I’ve previously stated, as an Argentinian, I think no one can claim my primary concern is in perpetuating British interests.” He said with a smile to show that he did not share the same hardline “Maldives libre” ideas that some of his more radical countrymen shared.
Bergoglio took a sip of the mint lemonade and continued. “The pen is mightier than the sword and that is how our IZs came to be – through plebiscites and the will of the peoples.” This was whitewashing some history – the Palestinian plebiscite was not a bloodless affair. “Yes, that was our organizations first, and therefore, most inexperienced action. It was a valuable lesson that we learned but we cannot get lost in the ‘what ifs’ of the past. Blue helmets are a welcomed sight to all who welcome the betterment of humanity.” It seemed more like a practiced line that a statement of earnest fact but I did not press him.[/FONT]
We had strayed severely off-topic but I had gotten the quotes I needed. I thanked him for his time and began to leave. Secretary-General Bergoglio called my name as I was exiting and I turned around, “Merry Christmas.”
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