Globalisation political - Annan

New York - The UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, said yesterday that the United States and other leading world powers needed…

New York - The UN Secretary General, Mr Kofi Annan, said yesterday that the United States and other leading world powers needed to deal with globalisation as a political (and security) issue and not just focus on trade and technology.

"Rarely are the political aspects of globalisation recognised by either its friends or foes," he said. Mr Annan also said that the more than $1 billion owed by the United States to the world body was the fault of politicians in Washington.

Addressing the Foreign Policy Association, Mr Annan emphasised that the UN had a role to play in world economic reform because it recognised that economic problems were also political and security problems.