Justin_stacy
04/15/04, 02:56 PM
Negroponte to Baghdad ... Giuliani to U.N.?
Stewart Stogel
Friday, Apr. 16, 2004
U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John D. Negroponte has decided to accept the post of U.S. ambassador to Iraq, replacing current CPA administrator L. Paul (Jerry) Bremer, on July 1st, when the coalition transfers power to the Iraqis, say diplomatic sources.
While the White House has not yet extended a formal offer to Negroponte, it is expected to do so in the near future.
Current deputy U.N. ambassador James Cunningham is expected to assume the top post, but many diplomats believe it will only be for a short, interim period.
Diplomatic sources tell NewsMax the White House sees the U.N. opening as a possible opportunity to add some star power to the administration's line-up in what is expected to be a tight presidential election campaign.
As such, the name of former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani is one of those being considered for the U.N. slot.
It is not clear whether Giuliani, now heading a private security consulting firm in Manhattan, would take the job.
Giuliani has told reporters he was considering a return to public service, but offered no specifics.
As mayor, Giuliani played host not only to the countless U.N. diplomats residing in the Big Apple, but played a central role in orchestrating two of the world body's largest endeavors: the U.N. 50th anniversary (1995) and the U.N.'s Millennium Summit (2000).
Rudy also had some well publicized run-ins with the United Nations:
In 1995, "His Honor" booted Palestinian President Yassir Arafat from a city sponsored concert at Lincoln Center.
He also declared Arafat and Cuban president Fidel Castro "persona non grata" from a dinner he hosted at the World Financial Center. "New York City will not honor terrorists and dictators," proclaimed Rudy.
During his reign, Giuliani successfully declared war on U.N. diplomats' parking abuses in NYC. He pressured the Clinton administration into giving him the authority to ticket illegally parked autos and to tow them to city pounds if necessary. The move allowed City Hall to collect several million dollars in fines from the U.N. diplomatic corps.
Now it seems, he may become one of them.
Another factor playing in Giuliani's favor is his visibility vis-a-vis U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
It is a badly hidden fact that the high-profile Annan is not well liked by the White House. Annan won the U.N. post after intensive lobbying by U.S. ambassador Madeleine K. Albright in 1996.
Albright's role in helping Annan gave the Secretary-General an "unofficial" label as a "Clinton-Democratic" appointee within Washington political circles.
It was Annan who called Operation Iraqi Freedom "illegal," and who originally placed blame for the attack on the U.N.'s Baghdad headquarters on the U.S. military.
Annan faulted the Pentagon for re-deploying a number of troops who were posted on access roads to the U.N. compound to other parts of Baghdad.
The U.N. chief eventually retracted the complaint when it became known that the troops were re-deployed only after consultations with U.N.'s Baghdad officials.
While the Bush administration is resigned to giving the United Nations a greater role in Iraq once the CPA is dissolved, there is a deep distrust of how Annan will handle it.
Earlier in the week, the Secretary-General expressed "concern" on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq. To the White House, such comments seem to suggest that Annan may seek to delay or limit any U.N. involvement in Iraq.
As such, the new U.S. ambassador will need to keep Annan "in check" and be in a position not to be overshadowed by the U.N. chief.
The mayor's name recognition is not only equal to, but in many places exceeds that of Annan. "He is mayor of the world," a U.N. ambassador once explained.
Basically, the White House wants someone at the U.N. who can stand up to Annan because there seems to be a sneaking suspicion in the Bush administration that Kofi may play footsie with Kerry campaign to try to get an unprecedented two year extension on his term, which ends Jan 1, 2007.
Bush wants Annan out;. Kerry might not. With the Iraq situation so unstable and U.N. poised for an expanded role, Bush wants a powerful figure at U.N. to keep an "eye" on Kofi. Rudy is certainly not averse to butting heads with the U.N.; just what Bush needs.
If President Bush has his way, the "world's" mayor may soon be taking up residence as NYC's premiere diplomat.
Stewart Stogel
Friday, Apr. 16, 2004
U.S. ambassador to the U.N. John D. Negroponte has decided to accept the post of U.S. ambassador to Iraq, replacing current CPA administrator L. Paul (Jerry) Bremer, on July 1st, when the coalition transfers power to the Iraqis, say diplomatic sources.
While the White House has not yet extended a formal offer to Negroponte, it is expected to do so in the near future.
Current deputy U.N. ambassador James Cunningham is expected to assume the top post, but many diplomats believe it will only be for a short, interim period.
Diplomatic sources tell NewsMax the White House sees the U.N. opening as a possible opportunity to add some star power to the administration's line-up in what is expected to be a tight presidential election campaign.
As such, the name of former NYC mayor Rudy Giuliani is one of those being considered for the U.N. slot.
It is not clear whether Giuliani, now heading a private security consulting firm in Manhattan, would take the job.
Giuliani has told reporters he was considering a return to public service, but offered no specifics.
As mayor, Giuliani played host not only to the countless U.N. diplomats residing in the Big Apple, but played a central role in orchestrating two of the world body's largest endeavors: the U.N. 50th anniversary (1995) and the U.N.'s Millennium Summit (2000).
Rudy also had some well publicized run-ins with the United Nations:
In 1995, "His Honor" booted Palestinian President Yassir Arafat from a city sponsored concert at Lincoln Center.
He also declared Arafat and Cuban president Fidel Castro "persona non grata" from a dinner he hosted at the World Financial Center. "New York City will not honor terrorists and dictators," proclaimed Rudy.
During his reign, Giuliani successfully declared war on U.N. diplomats' parking abuses in NYC. He pressured the Clinton administration into giving him the authority to ticket illegally parked autos and to tow them to city pounds if necessary. The move allowed City Hall to collect several million dollars in fines from the U.N. diplomatic corps.
Now it seems, he may become one of them.
Another factor playing in Giuliani's favor is his visibility vis-a-vis U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
It is a badly hidden fact that the high-profile Annan is not well liked by the White House. Annan won the U.N. post after intensive lobbying by U.S. ambassador Madeleine K. Albright in 1996.
Albright's role in helping Annan gave the Secretary-General an "unofficial" label as a "Clinton-Democratic" appointee within Washington political circles.
It was Annan who called Operation Iraqi Freedom "illegal," and who originally placed blame for the attack on the U.N.'s Baghdad headquarters on the U.S. military.
Annan faulted the Pentagon for re-deploying a number of troops who were posted on access roads to the U.N. compound to other parts of Baghdad.
The U.N. chief eventually retracted the complaint when it became known that the troops were re-deployed only after consultations with U.N.'s Baghdad officials.
While the Bush administration is resigned to giving the United Nations a greater role in Iraq once the CPA is dissolved, there is a deep distrust of how Annan will handle it.
Earlier in the week, the Secretary-General expressed "concern" on the deteriorating security situation in Iraq. To the White House, such comments seem to suggest that Annan may seek to delay or limit any U.N. involvement in Iraq.
As such, the new U.S. ambassador will need to keep Annan "in check" and be in a position not to be overshadowed by the U.N. chief.
The mayor's name recognition is not only equal to, but in many places exceeds that of Annan. "He is mayor of the world," a U.N. ambassador once explained.
Basically, the White House wants someone at the U.N. who can stand up to Annan because there seems to be a sneaking suspicion in the Bush administration that Kofi may play footsie with Kerry campaign to try to get an unprecedented two year extension on his term, which ends Jan 1, 2007.
Bush wants Annan out;. Kerry might not. With the Iraq situation so unstable and U.N. poised for an expanded role, Bush wants a powerful figure at U.N. to keep an "eye" on Kofi. Rudy is certainly not averse to butting heads with the U.N.; just what Bush needs.
If President Bush has his way, the "world's" mayor may soon be taking up residence as NYC's premiere diplomat.