SCMP Wednesday, January 10, 2001

James Bond set for UN ambassador role
The United Nations could use James Bond as an advocate for its work, according to Secretary General Kofi Annan, who this week met Pierce Brosnan, the Irish-born actor who plays the master spy.
Annan's spokesman, Fred Eckhard, said Brosnan had ''indicated an interest in getting involved in the UN'' and was being briefed on disarmament, peacekeeping, and the work of the UN Children's Fund.
''Celebrities can be very effective advocates, provided the issue is right,'' Annan told reporters. ''Depending on the topic we agree on,'' he said, Brosnan could ''use his voice to help us in some of the work we do, just like Michael Douglas, who has been very active in disarmament''.
Asked whether he would give Brosnan ''licence to kill'', the phrase denoted by Bond's spy number 007, Annan replied: ''Definitely not.''