UN is like the Twilight Zone, says Bolton
(Filed: 01/05/2006)

In his first interview with a British newspaper, America's ambassador to the United Nations tells Alec Russell why it is in dire need of reform.

John Bolton was in his element. America's famously blunt UN ambassador and hundreds of other senior diplomats had just spent almost two hours twiddling their thumbs in a deadlocked meeting awaiting a letter from the secretary general.

Then moments after the document arrived, the session was adjourned as the representatives of the developing world retired to plot - successfully as it transpired - how to stymie a series of radical reforms.

South Africa's ambassador pledged that it would be for only a quarter of an hour.

"I know those 15 minutes," said a deadpan Mr Bolton. "We have a bit longer than that, I think."
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