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Bush bypasses Senate

Timothy Williams

Bolton has vast experience in foreign policy: U.S. President

WASHINGTON: U.S. President George Bush bypassed the Senate confirmation process on Monday and appointed John R. Bolton as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations.

The appointment, while Congress is in recess, ends for now a months-long standoff between the White House and Senate Democrats who deem Mr. Bolton unfit for the job and have been holding up his confirmation. The President nominated Mr. Bolton for the post in March. ``I chose John because of his vast experience in foreign policy, his integrity and his willingness to confront difficult problems head on,'' Mr. Bush said at the White House.

``Because of partisan delaying tactics by a handful of Senators, John was unfairly denied the up-or-down vote that he deserves,'' he said. ``As a result, America has now gone more than six months without a permanent Ambassador to the United Nations. This post is too important to leave vacant any longer. Especially during a war and a vital debate about U.N. reform.''

Mr. Bush has the power to fill vacancies without Senate approval while Congress is not in session, an action known as a recess appointment. Mr. Bolton's term will expire at the beginning of the next session of Congress, in January 2007.

The move comes despite a letter to Mr. Bush last week signed by 36 Senators — 35 Democrats and one Independent — saying that Mr. Bolton was ``not truthful'' while answering questions by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in March, and should not be given a recess appointment. Some Republicans have said the approval of Mr. Bolton is long past due and that Mr. Bush is well within his rights to make the recess appointment.

Some Senators, including some key Republicans, have also raised questions about Mr. Bolton over his history of criticising the United Nations, his treatment of subordinates, and over charges that he has tried to influence intelligence assessments to conform to his views.

His nomination has the support of the majority of Senators, but fewer than 60 — the number needed to forestall a filibuster that Democrats had threatened until Mr. Bolton answered questions, particularly about his use of classified intelligence about conversations involving administration colleagues.

Democrats had also been seeking more documents from the White House regarding Mr. Bolton's past service.

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