and gives kudos to President Bush, who undoubtedly called the shots on this one:
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - U.S. Ambassador John Bolton has complained to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan about an annual U.N. event where a map of pre-1948 Palestine, an area that now comprises the state of Israel, is displayed.
Bolton's letter complained about the symbolism of Annan attending the latest International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, held last November 29, along with General Assembly President Jan Eliasson and Russian Ambassador Andrei Denisov, the Security Council president for November.
He questioned whether the United Nations could promote the event when U.S. law prohibits funding such events. Washington's dues cover about a quarter of the regular U.N. budget.
"It was entirely inappropriate for this map to be used. It can be misconstrued to suggest that the United Nations tacitly supports the abolition of the state of Israel," Bolton said.
"Given that we now have a world leader pursuing nuclear weapons who is calling for the state of Israel to be 'wiped off the map,' the issue has even greater salience," he said in a January 3 letter, a copy of which was obtained by Reuters on Friday. The letter was first reported in the New York Sun.
Annan's office is preparing a reply...that ought to be good.
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