At a time when international diplomacy is greatly needed from the New York-based United Nations, the organization has become mired down in a complex power struggle. All this is very bad timing. Earlier this week, the Iranian Parliament approved an outline of a bill that states it would bar United Nations inspectors from entering its nuclear sites if the UNâs Security Council considers punitive measures when it meets this Thursday in New York. âThis is a time for diplomacy, and we donât have the diplomatic capacity to do it,â William Luers, current president of the United Nations Association of the US, told reporters.Instead of dealing a potential international nuclear crisis with Iran, the UN is struggling to redefine its own tenants of power. âThis is a basic clash over whoâs in charge: is it the General Assembly or is it the Secretary General?â Edward Luck, a professor of international affairs at Columbia University and former president of the UN Association of the US told reporters. The fight is over the management of reform proposals which some say would broaden the power of the Secretary Generalâs office. The diplomat pushing this showdown is John Bolton, the US ambassador at the UN. Bolton, with his well-known history of contempt for the international organization, is warning that the US may look elsewhere to settle international problems if the it doesnât shape up.
The US is also causing a ruckus at the UN regarding elections for the next UN Secretary General, a year away. According to an unwritten agreement, the UNâs top job is rotated to a different region after the end of the current Secretary Generalâs term. Three Asian candidates are already vying for the upcoming position. The Bush Administrations has made known it no longer intends to follow that tradition. Bolton dismissed Asiaâs exclusive right to the job last week, saying Washington would continue to look for experienced, qualified candidates regardless of their nationality. âWeâve never accepted the idea that there is geographical rotations,â Bolton told Washington Times last week. âEastern and Central Europe have never had a secretary-general, so thatâs worth looking at.â He then said it was Kofi Annan, not the US, who broke that tradition, as Annan followed Egyptian Boutros Boutros Ghali. Bolton declined to say who the Bush Administration is backing. US officials have long acknowledged that their endorsement can bring the âkiss of deathâ to a candidate.