The British government is mounting a huge diplomatic effort this weekend to prevent the biggest-ever summit of world leaders, designed to tackle poverty and overhaul the United Nations, ending in chaos. The Guardian has learned that Jack Straw, the foreign secretary, has made a personal plea to his American counterpart, Condoleezza Rice, for the US to withdraw opposition to plans for wholesale reform of the UN. He has asked Ms Rice to rein in John Bolton, the US ambassador to the world body. Mr Bolton has thrown the reform negotiations into disarray by demanding a catalogue of late changes to a 40-page draft document which is due to go before the summit in New York on Wednesday. Mr Bolton, one of the US administration hawks, became ambassador last month only after a long confrontation with the US senate, mainly caused by his ideological dislike of the UN. The foreign secretary is planning to make calls to fellow ministers around the world over the weekend.
Mr Bolton has thrown the reform negotiations into disarray by demanding a catalogue of late changes to a 40-page draft document which is due to go before the summit in New York on Wednesday. Mr Bolton, one of the US administration hawks, became ambassador last month only after a long confrontation with the US senate, mainly caused by his ideological dislike of the UN.
The foreign secretary is planning to make calls to fellow ministers around the world over the weekend.
P.S. How are you doing - are you well again?
And I believe that according to recent studies, you actually do live in the best of all possible worlds. Mine's okay, but I'm without means to evacuate in an emergency (I'm talkin' to you, DeAnander).
I am over my cold, thanks for asking, and thanks to all the helpful advice. I confess I haven't gotten a neti pot yet.
I hope all's well with you and you're having a nice weekend! Maybe we can eventually make language a complete impediment to understanding. -Hobbes
