The announcement on Monday of John Bolton's resignation was greeted by UN officials with relief, while diplomats from other nations offered mixed assessments of his effectiveness during his 17 months as the US ambassador.
"`No comment,' he said with a smile," Deputy UN Secretary-General Mark Malloch Brown said over his shoulder to reporters as he hustled to a meeting.
Malloch Brown had angered Bolton during the summer by accusing the US of "stealth diplomacy" -- turning to the UN when Washington needed it while showing public disdain for the institution.
At the time, Bolton demanded that Secretary-General Kofi Annan "personally and publicly" repudiate Malloch Brown's remarks, but Annan instead stood by them.
Bolton's relationship with Annan was also marked by testiness.
"It is difficult to blame one individual ambassador for difficulties on some of these issues, whether it is reform or some other issues. But I think what I have always maintained is that it is important that the ambassadors work together, that the ambassadors understand that to get concessions, they have to make concessions, and they need to work with each other for the organization to move ahead," Annan said on Monday.
Security Council ambassadors said they respected Bolton's professionalism and command of subject matter and thought he had represented the Bush administration's foreign policy goals well.
On the other hand, they said his manner, often described as abrupt, unyielding and confrontational, had alienated traditional US allies and undercut US influence.
"I think he was serious about the American objective here of reforming the United Nations, and he pushed hard," Chinese Ambassador Wang Guangya (
Asked to note Bolton's achievements, Wang and Adamantios Vassilakis of Greece cited approvingly a simple step Bolton took a year ago when the US occupied the presidency of the Security Council. He insisted that council meetings begin on time, and to illustrate the point, he gaveled the first meeting of his tenure to order at the appointed hour though he was the only ambassador in the chamber.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
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