Re: Bush accused of undermining the UN with aid coalition

From: John Larkin (john_at_spamless.usa)
Date: 12/31/04 

Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 13:21:18 -0800

On Thu, 30 Dec 2004 17:12:50 -0600, Gactimus <gactimus@xrs.net> wrote:

>http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3944374
>
> United States President George Bush was tonight accused of trying to
> undermine the United Nations by setting up a rival coalition to
> coordinate relief following the Asian tsunami disaster.
>
> The president has announced that the US, Japan, India and Australia
> would coordinate the world’s response.
>
> But former International Development Secretary Clare Short said that
> role should be left to the UN.
>
> “I think this initiative from America to set up four countries claiming
> to coordinate sounds like yet another attempt to undermine the UN when
> it is the best system we have got and the one that needs building up,”
> she said.
>
> “Only really the UN can do that job,” she told BBC Radio Four’s PM
> programme.
>
> “It is the only body that has the moral authority. But it can only do it
> well if it is backed up by the authority of the great powers.”
>
> Ms Short said the coalition countries did not have good records on
> responding to international disasters.
>
> She said the US was “very bad at coordinating with anyone” and India had
> its own problems to deal with.
>
> “I don’t know what that is about but it sounds very much, I am afraid,
> like the US trying to have a separate operation and not work with the
> rest of the world through the UN system,” she added.
>
>-----------
>
>In your dreams, UN. As if the United States is going to trust you with such
>a task after the oil-for-food scandal and your refusal to investigate it.

Kofy Annan continued his ski vacation at Jackson Hole for three days
after the tsunami.

http://www.un.org/apps/sg/offthecuff.asp?nid=660

John

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