Military

DATE=4/11/05

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=CONGRESS UN (L-O'NITER)

NUMBER=2-323889

BYLINE=DEBORAH TATE

DATELINE=CAPITOL HILL

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Nominee to UN Post, Bolton, to Face More Questions in Senate

INTRO: A U.S. Senate panel Tuesday holds a second day of hearings into the nomination of John Bolton to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. On Monday, Senate Democrats expressed concern over Mr. Bolton's hard-line views and his past criticism of the world body. VOA's Deborah Tate reports from Capitol Hill.

TEXT: During a day-long hearing before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Democrats highlighted Mr. Bolton's past criticisms of the United Nations, which the nominee has called corrupt and irrelevant.

Senator Joe Biden of Delaware is the top Democrat on the panel:

/// BIDEN ACTUALITY ///

Quite frankly, I am surprised that the nominee wants the job, given the negative things he has said about the U.N.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Bolton, who now serves as undersecretary of State for arms control, says his comments were taken out of context. He vowed to work with other nations to strengthen the world body.

The nominee also faced tough questions about his positions on policy issues, even from a Republican.

Senator Lincoln Chafee, from the state of Rhode Island, asked Mr. Bolton about his past support for Taiwan's membership in the U.N. General Assembly, a position at odds with U.S. policy and one that angers China. Beijing considers Taiwan a renegade province. Mr. Bolton responded that he once took the position as a private citizen, but now he fully embraces the Bush administration policy.

The most pointed questioning concerned accusations that Mr. Bolton sought to remove two intelligence analysts who disagreed with his assessment that Cuba possessed banned weapons.

Senator Chris Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, said the allegations are troubling, especially in light of the fact that former Secretary of State Colin Powell had gone before the United Nations using intelligence that later proved false in making the case for war in Iraq.

/// DODD ACTUALITY ///

My problem is this. When the secretary of state goes to the United Nations to make a case for the presence of weapons of mass destruction, it was wrong, terrible information. We were damaged terribly by that. If this is true that you tried to remove an analyst because you disagreed with their conclusions about this, that is going to hurt us further at the United Nations. That is my concern.

/// BOLTON ACTUALITY ///

If I could just say, I have never done anything in connection with any analyst's views. Nothing.

/// END ACT ///

Mr. Bolton did admit to trying to reassign the analysts to other jobs, but he said it had nothing to do with policy differences.

Former State Department official Carl Ford, who clashed with Mr. Bolton over what he saw as Mr. Bolton's intimidation of intelligence officials, is expected to be among those testifying before the Senate panel Tuesday.

For their part, Republicans, who control the Senate, dismiss the controversy and argue that Mr. Bolton will be a strong reformer to lead change at the United Nations after a corruption scandal involving the U.N.'s oil-for-food program.

Senator George Allen of Virginia:

/// ALLEN ACTUALITY ///

I think the President, in selecting you, Mr. Bolton, has selected the absolute perfect person.

/// END ACT ///

The Senate panel is expected to vote to send the nomination to the full Senate later this week.

If confirmed, Mr. Bolton would replace John Danforth, who resigned after serving just half a year as U.N. ambassador. (signed)

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