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| Controversial US envoy quits post | Controversial US envoy quits post |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The controversial US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, has announced he will leave his post in the next few days. | The controversial US ambassador to the UN, John Bolton, has announced he will leave his post in the next few days. |
| Mr Bolton looked unable to win the necessary Senate support for him to continue in the job, which he had obtained on a temporary basis. | Mr Bolton looked unable to win the necessary Senate support for him to continue in the job, which he had obtained on a temporary basis. |
| Democrats in the chamber objected to his combative approach at the UN. | Democrats in the chamber objected to his combative approach at the UN. |
| Mr Bolton's move comes after US defence chief Donald Rumsfeld resigned following the Republican defeat in last month's mid-term elections. | Mr Bolton's move comes after US defence chief Donald Rumsfeld resigned following the Republican defeat in last month's mid-term elections. |
| The incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Senator Joe Biden, said he saw "no point in considering Mr Bolton's nomination again". | The incoming chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democratic Senator Joe Biden, said he saw "no point in considering Mr Bolton's nomination again". |
| The White House said President George W Bush had "reluctantly" accepted Mr Bolton's move to step down at the end of the current Congress session. | The White House said President George W Bush had "reluctantly" accepted Mr Bolton's move to step down at the end of the current Congress session. |
| Mr Bush said he was "deeply disappointed that a handful" of senators were blocking Mr Bolton's confirmation. | Mr Bush said he was "deeply disappointed that a handful" of senators were blocking Mr Bolton's confirmation. |
| The departure would disrupt US diplomatic work at a sensitive time, the president said. | The departure would disrupt US diplomatic work at a sensitive time, the president said. |
| The news comes days before a bipartisan panel is expected to suggest the US should begin talking to Iran and Syria, an initiative Mr Bolton has opposed. | The news comes days before a bipartisan panel is expected to suggest the US should begin talking to Iran and Syria, an initiative Mr Bolton has opposed. |
| 'Ideal envoy' | 'Ideal envoy' |
| Mr Bolton took up the UN posting last year during a congressional holiday after his nomination stalled in the Senate. | Mr Bolton took up the UN posting last year during a congressional holiday after his nomination stalled in the Senate. |
| The president appointed ambassador Bolton because he knew he would represent America's values and would take head-on problems at the United Nations White House spokeswoman Profile: John Bolton href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=4883&edition=2&ttl=20061204151655" class="">Bolton quits: Have Your Say | |
| It was a procedural manoeuvre that avoided the need for him to be confirmed until the end of this year. | It was a procedural manoeuvre that avoided the need for him to be confirmed until the end of this year. |
| That procedure cannot be repeated, and the new climate in Congress would make it all but impossible for him to win a two-thirds majority of senators. | That procedure cannot be repeated, and the new climate in Congress would make it all but impossible for him to win a two-thirds majority of senators. |
| Mr Bolton's critics said a man who once declared there was "no such thing" as the UN was hardly a suitable choice to join the body. | Mr Bolton's critics said a man who once declared there was "no such thing" as the UN was hardly a suitable choice to join the body. |
| His nomination incensed many former US ambassadors - 102 of whom signed a letter urging senators to reject his nomination. | His nomination incensed many former US ambassadors - 102 of whom signed a letter urging senators to reject his nomination. |
| But his admirers said he was a bright, hard-working realist - whose scepticism about the UN's role made him an ideal envoy, particularly when the organisation was in need of deep reform. | But his admirers said he was a bright, hard-working realist - whose scepticism about the UN's role made him an ideal envoy, particularly when the organisation was in need of deep reform. |
| A White House spokeswoman said that among Mr Bolton's accomplishments were the assembling of coalitions addressing North Korea's nuclear activity, Iran's uranium enrichment and reprocessing work, and the horrific violence in Darfur. | A White House spokeswoman said that among Mr Bolton's accomplishments were the assembling of coalitions addressing North Korea's nuclear activity, Iran's uranium enrichment and reprocessing work, and the horrific violence in Darfur. |
| Correspondents say he personified Washington's view of the UN as an institution that was viewed as being wasteful and ineffective at best - and inimical to America's wider global interests at worst. | Correspondents say he personified Washington's view of the UN as an institution that was viewed as being wasteful and ineffective at best - and inimical to America's wider global interests at worst. |