Christopher seemed a little unsure of the whole situation, but he was always quick to recover. 'Whatever I can do to help, just let me know.'
'Good,' said Milner. 'I was sure you'd have that attitude. Now, instead of going directly to the U.N. you will go first to the Italian Mission.'
'As an Italian citizen, assigned to the U.N., I would do that anyway, as a courtesy to Ambassador Niccoli.'
'Good. When you arrive at the Italian Mission you will be informed that three hours ago Ambassador Niccoli resigned his position as the Italian ambassador to the United Nations in order to pursue other interests.'
'What?! What other interests?' interrupted Christopher.
'A very well-paid position as a director of the Banque of Rome. A bank in which, not coincidentally, David Bragford owns a twenty-two percent interest. But as I was saying,' Milner continued, 'at the Italian Mission you will be given a sealed packet and a message to immediately call the Italian president on their secure line. When you reach President Sabetini, he will direct you to open the packet. Inside you will find documents to be presented to the U.N. Credentials Committee naming you as the new Italian ambassador to the United Nations.
Christopher stared at Milner and then at Bernley. Bernley smiled, but for a moment no one spoke. Finally Christopher held his hands out in front of him, gesturing for them to stop. 'Hold it a second,' he said. Could you repeat the last part of that last sentence?'
'You heard me right, Christopher. You are going to be named the new Italian ambassador to the United Nations, assuming, of course, that you're willing.'
'But this is crazy. I've only been an Italian citizen for five years.'
'And for much of those five years,' Milner answered, 'I have devoted myself to preparing you and the people of Italy for this moment. That's why I urged you to become an Italian citizen in the first place.'
'But how could you have known?'
'We did not know the specifics,' Bernley answered. 'Obviously, if we had known that Secretary-General Hansen was going to die, we would have tried to prevent it. But what I know and don't know about the future is not something I get to pick and choose.'
'It did not take Alice's clairvoyance,' Milner interjected, 'to know that one day Hansen would step down. And when he did, we knew we would have to be prepared to preserve the advances he had made.'
'I'm sorry,' Christopher said, 'but I still don't understand. Why would President Sabetini name me as the new ambassador? And why would the Primo Ministro agree?'
'There are several reasons,' Milner said. 'No doubt they like you and trust you. They believe you care about Italy and the Italian people. As for the president, my guess is that he is hoping that you will someday become his son-in-law.'
'His son-in-law?! Why do people keep saying that? Tina and I are just friends,' he said emphatically.
'That's fine, Christopher. I'm just listing a few possible reasons. But, doubtless, the biggest reason the president would name you as ambassador and that the prime minister would back his decision, is that Italy wants a voice on the Security Council.'
'Hold it,' Christopher said. 'I think I've missed something. How does my becoming the Italian ambassador give Italy a voice on the Security Council?'
'That's why I have agreed to support Ambassador Moore's election as Europe's Primary on the Security Council,' Milner answered. 'Presently, five European nations have committed their support to him. For my part, I am to provide him with the three additional votes he'll need to be elected as Primary. In exchange for these three votes, Ambassador Moore will support my candidate to replace him as Alternate member. You, Christopher, will be my candidate. And that will give Italy its representation on the Security Council.'
Christopher took a deep breath and shook his head in wonderment. 'But how can you promise the votes of three countries?'
'Well, one of those votes will come from Italy; that is, from you,' Milner answered.
'And the other two?'
'Christopher, Alice and I are not without some influence among the members of the U.N. I've quite a large number of chits which I may call. And Alice, well, let's just say that there are many people in the United Nations who greatly value her opinions.'
They rode for the next few minutes in silence, but as they pulled up to Two United Nations Plaza where the Italian Mission is located, across the street from the U.N., Secretary Milner sought to reassure Christopher. 'Christopher, I don't know what you're feeling right now, but let me assure you, you should not for a moment feel like this position was bought. In very few countries can ambassadorships still be bought and sold. Instead, you have been sold to the Italian president as the best person for the position and for Italy.'
'Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I'm glad you put it that way. I just keep expecting to wake up and find out this whole conversation has been a dream, or maybe for someone to yell 'surprise' and tell me this is all a practical joke.'
Milner knew Christopher well enough to know that no response was necessary, but Alice Bernley answered, 'It's no joke, Christopher.'
As Christopher got out of the car, he had one more thought, 'I'm supposed to meet Decker in his office.'
'I'll call and let him know you'll be late,' Milner volunteered.
'Yeah, thanks, I'd appreciate that. But that's not what I'm thinking about. I'm wondering how I'm going to explain why I'm late.'
Chapter 22
Simple Arithmetic
Monday, July 29, 2019
Ambassador Lee Yun-Mai of China called to order the session of the United Nations Security Council and welcomed each of the new members and Alternates on behalf of the whole Council. The position of the Security Council President rotated among the ten regions on a monthly basis, and so regularly fell to each of the Primary members. On occasion, when a Primary was not in attendance, the Alternate from that region would stand in. It was not a particularly cherished position, but in the absence of a Secretary-General it provided the only point of focus for the press. Ambassador Lee was one of the most experienced members of the Council. Now in her seventies and with more than thirty years of diplomatic service, she had served during all but three of the years during which Hansen was Secretary-General. As much as anyone, she hoped to limit the spectacle of the event that was about to unfold, but the election of the first Secretary-General since Jon Hansen would not be without its drama. In much of the world the proceedings were being carried live, with an expected total audience of a half- billion listeners and viewers. Under the circumstances, it was unrealistic to hope for total abstinence from grand- standing by the members.
Italian Ambassador Christopher Goodman sat quietly at the C-shaped table in the place assigned to the European Alternate member of the Security Council. There was little for him to do but watch: as an Alternate he had no power to nominate, second, or even vote on the election of the new Secretary-General. On most matters before the Security Council, he could speak when the floor was opened for debate, but for the election of the Secretary-General there would be no debate, only nominations, seconds, and votes. Despite the magnitude of the matter before them at this moment, the Alternate members would have to be satisfied to be front-row observers.
If Christopher had needed any distraction, there were many other pressing matters to think about. Secretary Milner's projections about India had been right on target. Nikhil Gandhi, the former Indian prime minister, had won the seat as Primary member of the Security Council from India, and, as expected, Rajiv Advani was now in India seeking to replace Gandhi as prime minister. Even more pressing was the famine in Pakistan and Northern India. With Hansen's death the work to provide an appropriate level of relief had come to a virtual standstill. Christopher's replacement at FAO, along with ECOSOC's Executive Director Louis Colleta, were doing all they could with the resources available, but the matter was now stalled, awaiting debate by the Security Council. Even if it did
