September 14, 2005

Reaction to President Bush’s Speech to the United Nations

Washington, DC –  Speaking in front of more than 160 fellow world leaders today at the 2005 World Summit, President Bush weighed in on several key proposals for strengthening the United Nations. Citizens for Global Solutions commends the President for speaking passionately and resolutely in support of the UN’s founding ideals. We agree with the President’s assessment that “the world is more compassionate and hopeful when we work together.”

Charles J. Brown, President and CEO of Citizens for Global Solutions, said: “President Bush spoke eloquently today about the vital, and historic, partnership between the United States and the United Nations. Just as the UN cannot be the institution it needs to be without America’s help and support, the United States cannot achieve its foreign policy objectives without an effective UN. The President must compliment his bold rhetoric with even bolder action. The U.S. must help revitalize the United Nations to make it a more effective partner in today’s interconnected world.”

In addition, Citizens for Global Solutions supports the President’s proclamation that “We are committed to the Millennium Development Goals,” his pledge towards “tackling the pandemics of the 21st Century,” and his determination to not let terrorism “threaten the peace and stability of the world.” We call on the President to speak as passionately and resolutely to the leaders of the United States Congress, to ensure that funding and support is made available to achieve these visions.

However, given the President’s strong endorsement of the Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) in today’s speech, Citizens for Global Solutions wonders why Ambassador John Bolton fought so hard to remove all references to MDGs in the drafting of the UN Summit Outcome Document. Similarly, given the President’s stated commitment towards stopping terrorists from acquiring weapons, Citizens for Global Solutions wonders why Ambassador Bolton led the (successful) effort to delete the following provision from the Outcome Document:

“69. We believe that the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, and the possibility that terrorists might acquire such weapons, remain [amongst] the greatest threats to international peace and security.”

Citizens for Global Solutions maintains that despite today’s attempt by President Bush to reaffirm our friendship with others, the editing pen of Ambassador Bolton needlessly alienated our allies in both the developed and developing world.

Don Kraus, Executive Vice President for Citizens for Global Solutions, said: “Ambassador Bolton’s last-minute editing to the Outcome Document may, in fact, have squandered this once-in-a-generation opportunity. If nothing else, Bolton’s ideologically driven edits needlessly opened up a relatively strong document that achieved U.S. priorities. Once the U.S. walked away from its commitments, other nations did as well and the result is a watered-down agreement that ignores nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, delays detailed negotiations on the shape of the new Human Rights Council and the Peacebuilding Commission, and fails to provide a definition of the most heinous crime of our century: terrorism. Much more is needed from America’s representatives at the UN Summit.”

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Notes to Editors: Citizens for Global Solutions is a grassroots membership organization that envisions a future in which nations work together to abolish war, protect our rights and freedoms, and solve the problems facing humanity that no nation can solve alone.

 

Contact:

Howard Salter
Director of Communications
202 546 3950 ext. 112