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| Ex-Senator Jesse Helms dies at 86 | Ex-Senator Jesse Helms dies at 86 |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Former US Republican Senator Jesse Helms - a leading conservative politician - has died aged 86, officials say. | Former US Republican Senator Jesse Helms - a leading conservative politician - has died aged 86, officials say. |
| He died early on Friday of natural causes in Raleigh, North Carolina, his former chief of staff said. | He died early on Friday of natural causes in Raleigh, North Carolina, his former chief of staff said. |
| Mr Helms had served five terms in the Senate representing North Carolina before stepping down in 2003. | Mr Helms had served five terms in the Senate representing North Carolina before stepping down in 2003. |
| He was dubbed "Senator No" for blocking many policies he saw as contrary to his conservative view of the world. | He was dubbed "Senator No" for blocking many policies he saw as contrary to his conservative view of the world. |
| Mr Helms was chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, becoming the first lawmaker to address the UN Security Council. | Mr Helms was chairman of the influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee, becoming the first lawmaker to address the UN Security Council. |
| Isolationist | Isolationist |
| Mr Helms died at 0115 local time in Raleigh, the Jesse Helms Center said. | Mr Helms died at 0115 local time in Raleigh, the Jesse Helms Center said. |
| "He was very comfortable," Jimmy Broughton, Mr Helm's former chief of staff, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. | "He was very comfortable," Jimmy Broughton, Mr Helm's former chief of staff, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency. |
| Jesse Helms started political life as a Democrat, albeit a conservative-sounding one, who worked as a newspaper editor and a television commentator. | Jesse Helms started political life as a Democrat, albeit a conservative-sounding one, who worked as a newspaper editor and a television commentator. |
| He first went to the Senate to represent North Carolina in 1972. | He first went to the Senate to represent North Carolina in 1972. |
| He had polarised voters in the southern state and opinion throughout the country, correspondents say. | He had polarised voters in the southern state and opinion throughout the country, correspondents say. |
| I will not support sending American soldiers to fight and to die for the sake of an agreement not yet reached which may offer no more than the promise of a brief pause while all sides prepare for the next round of Balkan wars Jesse Helms class="" href="/1/hi/world/americas/7490458.stm">Obituary: Jesse Helms | |
| He became known for his refusal to ratify international treaties and obstinate blocking of other executive actions, the BBC's Jonny Dymond says. | He became known for his refusal to ratify international treaties and obstinate blocking of other executive actions, the BBC's Jonny Dymond says. |
| It was Mr Helms who stopped the US paying its dues to the UN; Mr Helms who blocked ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and the Kyoto Protocol on global warming; and Mr Helms who opposed the use of US troops in Bosnia. | It was Mr Helms who stopped the US paying its dues to the UN; Mr Helms who blocked ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and the Kyoto Protocol on global warming; and Mr Helms who opposed the use of US troops in Bosnia. |
| "I will not support sending American soldiers to fight and to die for the sake of an agreement not yet reached which may offer no more than the promise of a brief pause while all sides prepare for the next round of Balkan wars," Mr Helms said. | "I will not support sending American soldiers to fight and to die for the sake of an agreement not yet reached which may offer no more than the promise of a brief pause while all sides prepare for the next round of Balkan wars," Mr Helms said. |
| Frequent clashes | Frequent clashes |
| Before he became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he attacked accords such as the Panama Canal Treaty and the Salt II arms reduction pact. | Before he became chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, he attacked accords such as the Panama Canal Treaty and the Salt II arms reduction pact. |
| As committee chairman he clashed with the Clinton administration. Its multilateral approach to foreign relations did not fit in with his view of how America should operate. | As committee chairman he clashed with the Clinton administration. Its multilateral approach to foreign relations did not fit in with his view of how America should operate. |
| He also helped sink the administration's attempts to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1999, and in 2000 made it clear that a modified 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty would not pass the Senate. | He also helped sink the administration's attempts to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in 1999, and in 2000 made it clear that a modified 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty would not pass the Senate. |
| Mr Helms never cared very much what his critics thought, our correspondent says - and if he had, he certainly would not have been so outspoken about what he perceived to be the ills of modern life. | Mr Helms never cared very much what his critics thought, our correspondent says - and if he had, he certainly would not have been so outspoken about what he perceived to be the ills of modern life. |
| But there was also a compassionate side to Mr Helms, who had campaigned for the passage of a debt reliev bill through Congress, our correspondent says. | But there was also a compassionate side to Mr Helms, who had campaigned for the passage of a debt reliev bill through Congress, our correspondent says. |
| What are your memories of Senator Jesse Helms? Did you meet him? Send us your comments using the form below. | What are your memories of Senator Jesse Helms? Did you meet him? Send us your comments using the form below. |