Citizen Online
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
The controversial US ambassador to the United Nations, John Bolton, will step down when his temporary appointment to the post expires, perhaps this week, the White House announced.
"I received the resignation of Ambassador John Bolton. I accepted. I'm not happy about it," US President George W. Bush said as he met with Bolton in the White House Oval Office for a high-profile send-off.
"We're going to miss you," said Bush. "You've been a stalwart defender of freedom and peace. You've been strong in your advocacy for human rights and human dignity. You've done everything that can be expected for an ambassador."
It was unclear when Bush would unveil his choice to replace the pugnacious, blunt-talking diplomat he seated in August 2005, sidestepping a confirmation battle Bolton could not win using a presidential recess appointment.
That temporary posting expires when the current Congress ends its session, most likely later this week. A new Congress, with opposition Democrats in control, opens in January.
"This will disrupt our diplomacy at the United Nations to a certain extent, until we find somebody in his stead," said Bush spokesman Tony Snow.
Critics had accused Bolton of strong-arming intelligence analysts at the US State Department during his tenure there to promote his hawkish outlook and said he was a hot-head ill-suited to the world body's diplomatic wrangling.
"After careful consideration, I have concluded that my service in your administration should end when the current recess appointment expires," Bolton said in a letter to Bush dated Friday.
"It is with deep regret that I accept John Bolton's decision to end his service in the Administration as permanent representative of the United States to the United Nations when his commission expires," Bush said in a statement.
Bolton became the second high-profile administration hawk to fall following opposition Democrats' victory in November 7 legislative elections. Bush announced US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's resignation a day later.
"I appointed Ambassador Bolton because I knew he would represent America's values and effectively confront difficult problems at the United Nations," said the US president, who has sharply criticized the world body in the past.
Bush pointed to UN Security Council resolutions on North Korea's and Iran's nuclear programs as well as the world body's calls for a stronger international peacekeeping force in Sudan's Darfur province as Bolton victories.
"He made the case for United Nations reform because he cares about the institution, and wants it to become more credible and effective," said the president.
Bush, who had resubmitted Bolton's nomination to the UN post after the US election, also blamed Democrats for blocking an up-or-down confirmation vote by the entire Senate.
"This stubborn obstructionism ill serves our country," he said.
But Democrats noted that some in the president's party opposed the Bolton's nomination, and that it could not get the necessary votes to get to a full Senate vote even when the Republicans were in charge.
Bolton had previously served Bush as US Under Secretary of State for arms control and international security.
© 2006 AFP