Annan Says Bolton Won't Intimidate UN Rights Advocate 

Bill Varner
December 8, 2005
Bloomberg
Original Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aRZD7PsYnNhM&refer=us

Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan said through his spokesman that the world body's leading human rights advocate won't be ``intimidated'' by criticism yesterday from U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, and that he wants to discuss the matter with the envoy as soon as possible. 
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters that Annan is seeking a meeting with Bolton to defend High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour's statements that the U.S.-led war on terrorism has eroded efforts to eliminate torture. Bolton called Arbour's remarks ``illegitimate and inappropriate,'' coming from an ``international civil servant with nothing more as evidence than what she reads in the newspapers.'' 
Without specifically naming the U.S., the former Canadian Supreme Court justice said any government that transfers suspected terrorists to nations where they face the risk of torture, or operates secret prisons, is violating international law. Arbour said she based her concern on news accounts during the past month. 
The Washington Post reported Nov. 2 that the U.S. was running a clandestine operation to detain and interrogate al- Qaeda suspects overseas, including in secret Eastern European jails, according to unidentified U.S. and foreign officials. 
`Political Accusations' 
``The secretary-general has absolutely no disagreement with statements made by the high commissioner,''' Dujarric told reporters at the UN. ``The secretary-general is confident that she will carry on her work without being impressed or intimidated by what transpired yesterday.'' 
Arbour ``has a perfect right to inquire,'' Richard Grenell, spokesman for U.S. mission to the UN, said. ``Our concern is that she didn't inquire with the U.S. She never called for an appointment, never asked for information. She jumped at a chance to make some political accusations in front of the media.'' 
The exchange came as U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continued to defend U.S. policies and practices on a trip to Europe. She has been hounded from the start by questions on U.S. treatment of terrorism detainees following news reports of CIA flights through Europe carrying suspected terrorists to secret prisons in Europe or to countries where they might be tortured. 
Tensions 
The U.S. has acknowledged the flights, though not the existence of the prisons, and Rice has insisted the U.S. won't permit or condone torture at home or abroad. Rice said she could not guarantee abuses would not occur in the future. If they do, people would be punished, she told reporters. 
This isn't the first indication of tensions between Bolton and Annan in recent weeks. 
After Bolton said he recommended that Annan postpone a planned trip to Asia to participate in negotiations on the proposed UN budget, the secretary-general told reporters on Dec. 2 that the U.S. envoy ``doesn't run my program.'' Annan postponed the trip. 
Asked on Nov. 30 for a comment on Bolton's criticism of the UN General Assembly's adoption of six resolutions drafted by the Palestinian Authority that are critical of Israel, Annan said ``I'm not the interpreter of Ambassador Bolton.'' 
The U.S. mission to the UN didn't immediately return a phone call asking for comment on Annan's defense of Arbour. 

To contact the reporter on this story:
Bill Varner