United Nations (CNN) -- The United Nations stepped up its defense Thursday of its beleaguered boss with high-level staffers speaking out in support of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.
Martin Nesirky, Ban's spokesperson, said that the secretary-general felt "a trust, a bond, had been broken" over the comments contained in a leaked 50-page report by the departing senior U.N. official in charge of anti-corruption, Inga-Britt Ahlenius.
Through his spokesperson, Ban explained how the "end-of-service" letter is "supposed to be a management tool that is meant to allow all senior advisers to learn from the frank thinking and advice of a departing senior manager," Nesirky said.
Nesirky quoted Ban as saying, "regrettably... the report was leaked".
A senior U.N. official briefed journalists Thursday afternoon, saying Ahlenius "lacks perception." The diplomat highlighted Ban's leadership on matters such as climate change and gender empowerment, which Ahlenius failed to acknowledge in her report.
CNN
