Time for Diplomacy Overload
Bolton is hitting the nail on the head with his new messaging on UN management and operations reform:
"Absent top to bottom management reform, the United Nations will be ill-equipped to meet the current demands that we as member states place upon the organization," he said. "The United States is committed to pursuing necessary management reforms to ensure that the United Nations remains an effective, efficient, transparent and accountable organization."
Also:
...[W]e respect the position taken by the G-77 and China," Bolton said. "We respect the tenacity with which they argued for their position. We respect the good faith in which they conducted negotiations in an effort to reach consensus, and we respect the fact that they stuck to their position. It is an honorable thing to do.
One has to wonder if Bolton's getting the message from higher up that he needs to be more diplomatic on reform issues. This rhetoric is bordering on diplomacy overload, but that's exactly what we need right now to restore some trust in these negotiations.
Now if only Bolton would use this tone with editorial boards and political audiences...
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