[WSIS CS-Plenary] Bush's U.N. Agenda Is Well Under Way

[Dr. Francis MUGUET]

Hello

Interesting article in the New York Times that
shows the current power play at the UN, that would
have obviously an indirect influence on the WSIS process.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/politics/02diplo.html


  Bush's U.N. Agenda Is Well Under Way

By STEVEN R. WEISMAN 
<http://query.nytimes.com/search/query?ppds=bylL&v1=STEVEN%20R.%20WEISMAN&fdq=19960101&td=sysdate&sort=newest&ac=STEVEN%20R.%20WEISMAN&inline=nyt-per>

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1 - Now that he is finally going to the United Nations 
as ambassador, John R. Bolton is supposed to "provide clear American 
leadership for reform" there, President Bush said Monday. But American 
officials say much of their reform agenda at the United Nations has been 
accomplished during the months while Mr. Bolton's nomination languished.

"Most of the reforms sought by the United States are well on their way 
to completion," said a senior administration official, speaking 
anonymously to avoid undercutting the rationale for the Bolton 
appointment. Another said that because so much had been achieved, there 
was little concern that Mr. Bolton's combative personality would 
jeopardize the agenda.

Mr. Bolton arrives at a time when significant disputes, such as those 
involving the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, could well come 
before the Security Council for review and possible sanctions. Another 
key question is whether to allow one or more new nations permanent seats 
on the Council; Japan, Germany, India and Brazil are vying to join the 
United States, Russia, China, Britain and France.

While the United States supports a seat for Japan, Bush administration 
officials say they do not want to press for it until the other changes 
they have sought are put into place in September, when the General 
Assembly meets.

United Nations and American diplomats are predicting that the main 
challenge facing Mr. Bolton will be less to "reform" the United Nations 
than to convince his conservative admirers in Congress that recent 
changes are real, particularly those put in place after scandals in the 
oil-for-food program and in some peacekeeping operations.

Aides to Mr. Bush have outlined six major objectives for what is called 
reform, and the administration has won support for all of them from 
Secretary General Kofi Annan and from other countries.

The first, administrative streamlining in Mr. Annan's office, to avoid a 
repetition of the corruption and mismanagement in the oil-for-food 
program, is being overseen by a newly appointed under secretary general 
for management, Christopher B. Burnham, an American, who previously 
oversaw budget, administration and security at the State Department.

A second objective, elimination of the United Nations Human Rights 
Commission, where countries like Libya, Sudan and Cuba have sat and made 
judgments on other nations' records, is likely to be achieved in 
September, though the process of replacing it with another body could 
take a year, according to United Nations officials.

A third goal, setting up a United Nations Democracy Fund, has generated 
broad support.

Two other goals are in the offing, including adoption of a new treaty 
opposing terrorism within countries as well as between them, and 
establishing a "peace-building commission."

Finally, the United States is close to achieving a broad statement at 
the United Nations laying out policies toward alleviation of poverty in 
developing countries. In recent days, several United Nations officials 
and diplomats said they did not think the fact that Mr. Bolton would be 
getting a recess appointment, and therefore serving a short term, would 
by itself undercut his effectiveness.

"He will come here with the support of President Bush, and that's going 
to mean a lot," said one European diplomat, asking not to be quoted by 
name because the decision to speed the appointment was seen as an 
American matter. Another European diplomat said Mr. Bolton would most 
likely be careful, at least initially, to observe diplomatic niceties, 
given his reputation as an infighter, which opponents cited in trying to 
block him.

More important than Mr. Bolton's style, several diplomats said, was the 
clear indication in recent months, while Mr. Bolton's nomination was in 
suspension, that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had taken the lead 
in advocating changes at the United Nations.

Diplomats say they are aware that Mr. Bolton goes to the United Nations 
with as controversial a reputation inside the administration as outside it.

Though Mr. Bolton is a favorite of Vice President Dick Cheney, 
Congressional and administration officials say Ms. Rice declined to 
appoint him as deputy secretary of state, in part because Senator 
Richard G. Lugar, the Indiana Republican who is chairman of the Foreign 
Relations Committee, told her he did not think he could be confirmed.

Ms. Rice now says sending Mr. Bolton to the United Nations was her idea, 
not anyone else's. But administration officials say one advantage for 
her was that Mr. Bolton will be executing policy at the United Nations, 
not necessarily formulating it.

Congress will continue to watch Mr. Bolton for several reasons, 
administration officials say. For one thing, legislation affecting the 
United Nations remains before the Congress. In addition, Congress and 
the administration will both want to be sure that reforms that have been 
agreed to are actually carried out.

The administration, for example, opposes a move in Congress to impose a 
cutoff of paying United Nations dues that has already passed the House 
of Representatives. Ms. Rice and her aides have been working with 
senators to block the measure.

In this effort, the administration has won over one of the United 
Nations' toughest critics, Senator Norm Coleman, the Minnesota 
Republican who has led the investigation into the oil-for-food program 
and called for Mr. Annan's resignation.

In an interview, Mr. Coleman said he was "thrilled that the 
administration is committed to U.N. reform" and that "it has achieved so 
much" on its major objectives. But he said other steps need to be taken, 
including eliminating what he said was a bias against Israel on the part 
of United Nations commissions and agencies.

If the Security Council is expanded, the Senate will have to approve the 
changes, because they are part of the United Nations Treaty.

Administration officials say it will be impossible to make any changes 
in the treaty until conservatives are satisfied with the progress on the 
other "reform" agenda items. Mr. Bolton, they say, is likely to play a 
role, not simply in conveying administration wishes on these matters to 
the United Nations, but also to Congress.

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Concerning  Senator Coleman and the WGIG,  just have a look
at
http://polisat.com/
http://polisat.com/DailyPoliticalSatire-Commentary/du20y05m08d02-01.htm

*PoliSat.Com*, where *satire* is *always* */commentary/*, but 
*/commentary/* *isn't* always *satire*

Have fun

Francis

-- 

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Francis F. MUGUET Ph.D 

MDPI Foundation Open Access Journals
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muguet at mdpi.org       muguet at mdpi.net

ENSTA   Paris, France
KNIS lab.  Director 
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muguet at ensta.fr   http://www.ensta.fr/~muguet

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