As administrator of the VOA Pronunciation Guide, I am constantly asked to provide the "correct" pronunciation of a person's name.  Phrased as such, the question implies that there is only one "correct" way, to the exclusion of all others. 

How do we know what is "correct"? Were it a perfect world, we would endeavor to carefully interview each person whose name we wish to learn how to pronounce.  We would question him or her about any slight nuances we hear and closely watch the lips move as the sounds are made.  Obviously, we almost never have such an opportunity.  Therefore, we must rely upon that person's colleagues, a VOA language service, a representative of that person's country at the United Nations, or other experts to further our research. 

Even then, opinions will vary.  How one says a name, a word, or a sound often depends upon the speaker's specific origin.  For instance, people from northern Afghanistan may speak differently from their southern counterparts even though they are both speaking the Pashto language.  Here in the United States, there are many recognizable accents.  Just ask a native of the Peach state about the former President and he may well tell you about "JIH-mih KAH-tuh" from "JAW-juh. "

With this in mind, please be aware that every entry in the VOA Pronunciation Guide database is a compromise, to one degree or the other.  It is hoped that the experts we consult will vary in their opinions only by small degrees, but even this is not always the case.  I often borrow from the Merriam Webster Dictionary editors in pointing out that proper name pronunciation is not a matter of right and wrong.  Read the fine print at the beginning of Merriam Webster's Third International dictionary and you will be told that they are not the "pronunciation police. " Their panels of experts and editors recognize that even educated and informed people will vary in they way they pronounce sounds.  What you will find printed on their pages, and listed in the VOA Pronunciation Guide, is always a compromise.  It is the best information we have at any given time, but is always subject to change when we can find and verify a better source.