pensions - AAFI-AFICS, Geneva - UNOG

CAREER MEMORIESThe UN experiences of a colour-blind seaman (cont.)Anders TholleGenevaIn January 1968 I transferred from Amman to Geneva, where I took up the functions of Senior Clerk (Commisprincipal) in the Director-General’s office, continuing to work under Mr. Spinelli and later on with his successorVittorio Winspeare Guiccardi, also an Italian diplomat. My tasks were to assist the Office’s Administrative AssistantChristiane Turrel, and to distribute incoming cables to the different agencies, divisions and services in the Palaisdes Nations. I am deeply indebted to Christiane, who is a member of AAFI-AFICS and lives in Southern France atthe sprite age of 88, for all the time and effort she devoted to improving my knowledge of the French language.When I was preparing myself to pass the official UN French language exams, Christiane worked extra hard, bygiving me daily dictation tests in the office. And I passed the UN language test with excellent notes. The supervisorof this exam was none other than our dear AAFI-AFICS member, and former Editor of the Bulletin, Juliette Bérard.The Director-General’s office at the Palais des Nations is normally taken over by the Secretary-General of the UNwhenever he is in Geneva. The Director-General will then relocate into another office on the elegant and silverdooredfirst floor of the Palais des Nations. This was how I came to get acquainted with U Thant and his entouragefrom New York. U Thant was fond of Cuban Havana cigars and had a problem with getting them in New Yorkbecause of the American boycott of Cuba. So during his visits we would arrange for the delivery of fresh Havanasfrom Davidoffs in Geneva. We also arranged to send a box of Cuban cigars under cover of a ”personal andconfidential” letter-parcel from Mr. Winspeare to U Thant in the weekly diplomatic pouch from Geneva to New York.My skills in operating the UN’s code machines, which by now had become electrical, provided me with someoccasional diversions from Geneva. When Ambassador Winspeare was asked by the Secretary-General toundertake a mission to Bahrein, in order to sound out the population’s wishes with regard to independence fromBritain, I was put on the mission team, together with Office’s newly arrived Chef de Cabinet Erik Jensen, whodespite his Danish name and parentage is a national of Malaysia, and Security Officer Lucien Comensoli. We spentthree interesting weeks in Bahrein. And by the way, Erik Jensen has now retired from UN service and he isPresident of our sister association BAFUNCS, in the United Kingdom. Comensoli has also retired and is a memberof AAFI-AFICS.Another time I was called in to replace U Thant’s regular code operator, who had fallen ill, on a trip to Europe. I metup with the Secretary-General in Paris and travelled with him and his team to Belgrade. There U Thant heldconsultations with the Yugoslav Government. Afterwards we visited Skopje where the UN was engaged inassistance in reconstructing the city, which had been devastated by an earthquake. Finally, we were flown to a porton Yugoslavia’s northern coast and from there we sailed on a Yugoslav navy ship to the island of Brioni, PresidentTito’s summer residence. The Secretary-General held private meetings with Tito, and after that we all participatedin their joint lunch. I found myself sitting next to Mrs. Tito. President Tito and U Thant were sitting just across fromme. I did my best to have some small conversation with Mrs. Tito, a lady who fell out of political favour some yearslater. When Tito asked me some questions about Danish politicians and politics, I had to explain my ignorance afterhaving been away from my home country for many years. U Thant’s European travel continued to Rome, where hecalled on the Italian Government. We followed him to different government offices in Rome and I was introduced toand shook hands with Aldo Moro, who was Foreign Minister at the time. Some years later he was kidnapped andkilled by the Red Brigades.In 1973 I was transferred to the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) where I worked as an AdministrativeOfficer, getting promoted from General Service to the professional category. I was responsible for a very activeprogramme of meetings, and for the management of the Commission’s budget. Janosz Stanovnik was theExecutive Secretary, an inspiring and visionary boss, with whom it was a privilege and a great experience to work.34