WASPS need not apply

So Ban Ki-Moon is the new UN Secretary-General. I trust he will do a fine job. But I note this bit from the CBC’s report:

“Diplomats had generally agreed the next secretary general should come from Asia because of a tradition that the post rotate among regions. The last Asian to hold the post was Burma's U Thant, who served from 1961 to 1971.”

Another quota system in operation. This I find terribly offensive, as a violation of human rights, which the UN ought to be there to uphold, and a violation of the merit principle. Like all other employees, UN Secretaries General should not be chosen for the colour of their skin or where their parents came from, but for the content of their character.

And, like other quotas inevitably are, this one too is made to discriminate against someone. It was Asia’s turn, since there had not been a Secretary-General from Asia since 1971? Right. Can you name the last Secretary-General from North America?

Here’s the full list so far:

Trygve Lie – Europe
Dag Hammersjold – Europe
U Thant – Asia
Kurt Waldheim – Europe
Javier Perez de Cuellar – South America
Boutros Boutros-Ghali – Africa
Kofi Annan – Africa
Ban Ki-Moon – Asia

That’s two for Africa; two for Asia; three for Europe—Germanic Northern Europe, specifically; one for South America; and none for either North America or Oceania. What gives?

Other than, perhaps, that those last two regions are overwhelmingly English-speaking?