Heraldo Muñoz, Chilean ambassador to the United Nations and a graduate of the Josef
Korbel School of International Studies, is presently the chairman of the Commission
of Inquiry into the assassination of Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.
Muñoz earned a master's degree from the Josef Korbel School in 1976 and a doctorate from the Josef Korbel School in 1979. Both degrees are in international studies.
Ambassador Muñoz was named chairman of the commission in February by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
The commission formally began its work July 1. The commission is determining the facts and circumstances of the assassination of Bhutto at the request of the government of Pakistan.
The commission's responsibility is neither a criminal investigation nor a tribunal that will determine criminal responsibilities. Instead, the commission will present a report to Secretary General Ban by Dec. 31, assuming the work on the ground proceeds normally. Ban will share the report with the government of Pakistan and will submit it to the U.N. Security Council for information.
The commission is comprised of two other distinguished commissioners and a staff of about 12 experts. The work of the commission is funded by voluntary contributions from U.N. member states.
Appropriate security arrangements have been made for the various deployments of the commissioners in Pakistan in cooperation with the government of Islamabad. The commission also may approach third states in its search to collect relevant materials and information.
Muñoz has been the Chilean Permanent Representative to the United Nations since 2003. He served as president of the U.N. Security Council in January 2004 and is currently the chairman of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. Muñoz was also the deputy foreign minister of Chile from March 2000 to January 2002 and served as Chile's ambassador to Brazil from 1994-1998. He is a co-founder of Chile's Party for Democracy and has held several government posts in the democratic era. He is a prominent author and academic.
