Partiality of UN secretary

This week talks are to take place in Geneva, under the auspices of the UN, in an attempt to achieve a settlement of the long-running crisis that has resulted from the Georgian attack on Abkhazia in August 1992 and the subsequent fiercely-fought war.

UN secretary general Boutros-Boutros Gali comes to Geneva hotfoot from Tbilisi, the Georgian capital, where he received an honorary degree from the university. What credence can we attach to his impartiality in the conflict when he is prepared to accept honours of this sort from one of the parties involved?

B.G. HEWITT, D. RAYFIELD University of London.