U.S. Gets Unusual Rebuff From Annan on Iraq (EU will offer 200m

NPR in reporting the following UN news while having correspondents noting that the EU in Madrid seem ready to give $200 million toward Iraq reconstruction, to go with the $20 billion the US is putting up, as part of the do not veto, be nice to Bush - EU decision on the the new UN resolution. Seems a slap in the Bush face, to me (the EU paid one half of the cost for Clinton's Balkan's effort(http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-iraq-wmd-france.html
France Says New U.S. - Iraq Resolution Not Enough) - but I am sure US Media will see a "victory" for Bush and remind us to be thankful the adults are in charge.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-3222338,00.html

U.S. Gets Unusual Rebuff From Annan on Iraq Friday October 3, 2003 2:01 PM By EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press Writer UNITED NATIONS

(AP) - The United States got an unusual rebuff from U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan for its new resolution to get more troops and money to help stabilize Iraq. France, Russia and Germany also signaled another tough battle ahead in the U.N. Security Council. But unlike the contentious dispute earlier this year over a resolution to authorize the U.S.-led war, nobody is threatening a veto.<snip>

"Obviously, it's not going in the direction I had recommended, but I will still have to study it further," Annan said Thursday of the new U.S. draft. The draft calls for a strengthened U.N. role in postwar Iraq, especially in the political transition from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship to a democracy. It asks the United Nations and the U.S.-led Coalition Provisional Authority to help the U.S.-appointed Iraqi Governing Council to draft and implement a constitution and hold elections. The resolution endorses a step-by-step transfer of authority to an Iraqi interim administration but sets no timetable for the handover of sovereignty, which would come after elections. Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday that his country has expressed willingness to work with the United States in postwar reconstruction. But it has pushed for a stronger U.N. role and a concrete timetable on the transfer of power to the Iraqi people. Putin said he thinks the new U.S. draft resolution being circulated at the United Nations can be improved. "We see a desire on their side to compromise," Putin said. A French Foreign Ministry official expressed disappointment Friday with the draft but said Paris would study the proposal "with care."Our first impression is that our concerns were reflected in the revised proposal in only a very limited way, and that it doesn't translate into the change of approach that we recommended," ministry spokesman Herve Ladsous told reporters. <snip>

Still, Annan's outspoken opposition to the thrust of the U.S. draft was bound to influence some council members. Mexico's U.N. Ambassador Adolfo Aguilar Zinser, for one, said his country's response ``will be based mostly on our interest to align to the interest of the United Nations.'' Annan told the 15 Security Council ambassadors at a private lunch Thursday that the United Nations could not participate properly because the resolution blurred the roles of the United Nations and the coalition, council diplomats said, speaking on condition of anonymity. Either the coalition or the United Nations should lead the process, Annan told the members, but the best solution would be for a provisional Iraqi government to be installed quickly because that would enable the world body to help the Iraqis directly, the diplomats said. According to U.N. diplomats, Annan has said having Iraqis control their country would make it easier politically for other nations to contribute troops and money because they would not have to deal with the current U.S.-British occupation authorities. But U.S. Ambassador John Negroponte ruled out an early transfer of power, as did Secretary of State Colin Powell, who warned that a hasty transition in Iraq from U.S. occupation to civilian rule could produce a "failed state."<snip>

the $200 million is a slap in the face, but since Chimpy won't get the hint he'll think its progress and the EU buys the U.S. off its back for a couple of months fairly cheap.

I wonder why the US Media is so far behind the EU media!

(I think the exact number is $232 million - and I'm curious how - and why - the extra 32 was decided on! :-) )

Does 200 million Euro's = $232 million USD?

Sid

now I can let go the news and DU for a few hours and do some work!

:-)