Global Values in International Organisations 413We must then ask whether these great traditions are ethical values. I
admit to having doubts about the ethicality of discretion—a political and
diplomatic trait—and competence—which at best is morally neutral, and
which can be utilized in pursuit of good or evil ends.
32.2.3 The UN Charter
The UN Charter, the foundational treaty signed by 51 nations in Oc-
tober 1945 that creates the United Nations, itself sheds some—but lim-
ited—light on the core ethical virtues for international civil servants.
Article 100, paragraph 1 of the Charter describes how the Secretary-
General and the staff shall be independent of and free from taking in-
structions from any one Member State:
In the performance of their duties the Secretary-General and the
staff shall not seek or receive instructions from any government
or from any other authority external to the Organization. They
shall refrain from any action which might reflect on their posi-
tion as international officials responsible only to the Organiza-
tion.Article 101, paragraph 3 describes how international civil servants shall
be selected to serve as employees of the United Nations:
The paramount consideration in the employment of the staff and
in the determination of the conditions of service shall be the ne-
cessity of securing the highest standards of efficiency, compe-
tence, and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance
of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possi-
ble.What are the primary virtues that are alluded to in these paragraphs
of the UN Charter?