|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
 |
 |
    |
|
|
|||
 |
|
||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
Bolton Arrives at United Nations
Hours after being sworn in as U.N. ambassador yesterday, John Bolton went to New York for meetings with U.S. staff, Agence France-Presse reported (see GSN, Aug. 1; Agence France-Presse/Yahoo!News, Aug. 1). Diplomats in New York said Bolton will not be judged on previous statements made about the United Nations, but on his actions as ambassador, according to the Associated Press. “He will be one of the key players because the United States is the largest contributor and a great power in the Security Council,” said German Ambassador Gunter Pleuger. “There are conflicting views on nearly every issue that is on our plate for the reform, and the largest player in the U.N., of course, plays a key role.” “No one should make prejudgments on reputation,” said Chilean Ambassador Heraldo Munoz. “One must do it on the merit of the facts, when we see what happens here.” Bolton’s recess appointment also has no bearing on how he is perceived at the assembly, AP reported. “He's a colleague like any other and will be received as such,” said Ambassador Ellen Margrethe Loj of Denmark, adding that many countries do not require ambassadors to be confirmed by legislators. Bolton is expected to meet with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan today to present his credentials, AP reported. “I think it is all right for one ambassador to come and push, but an ambassador always has to remember that there are 190 others who will have to be convinced, or a vast majority of them, for action to take place,” Annan said following Bolton’s confirmation. Diplomats expect Bolton to be tested soon with the 2005 World Summit in September. Negotiations over a summit document that would have the support of all 191 U.N. members are contentious, with members at odds over issues such as expansion of the Security Council, the definition of terrorism, and protections against genocide and war crimes, according to AP (Edith Lederer, Associated Press/Baltimore Sun, Aug. 2).
| ||||||||||
Back to top
