Source: http://www.un.int/usa/06_115.htm \o http://www.un.int/usa/06_115.htm http://www.un.int/usa/06_115.htm
Date: May 10, 2006

United States Mission to the United Nations
USUN PRESS RELEASE # 115 (06)   
May 10, 2006
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Remarks by Ambassador Bolton on UN Peacekeepers, the Human Rights Council Elections, and Iran at the Security Council Stakeout, May 10, 2006
Ambassador Bolton:  Okay, I can only do this for a minute or two.  I wanted to say something on Liberia.  We have carefully noted the allegations in the “Save the Children” report on sexual exploitation and abuse in Liberia by UN peacekeepers and allegations about sexual exploitation abuse by other UN personnel.  We take this very seriously and we recognize that in Liberia, the UN has taken steps to investigate the allegations.  But here is the real point, the UN’s policy on sexual exploitation and abuse is as it should be, zero tolerance.  But that’s not enough.  It’s not enough to just state the policy of zero tolerance.  The UN has to be effective and expeditious in its investigation and resolution of allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse.  And we’re obviously troubled by the allegations of the underlying crimes but it’s very important that the UN not only espouse a policy of zero tolerance but carry it through.  So we’re going to be pursuing our own questions to the Secretariat and other UN agencies because this is something that from the perspective of the United States is simply unacceptable.  Not only from the peacekeepers, but it’s unacceptable if the UN does not follow it up aggressively.  
Reporter: (Inaudible)
Ambassador Bolton:  The most important is that the internal UN investigation by the special representative or the force commander in the field be done effectively.  And that where additional work is done that it’s turned over to the Office of Internal Oversight Services, which we want to strengthen and make more independent.  We’ve heard of stories of OIOS meeting obstacles from special representatives and force commanders, not just on sexual exploitation and abuse, although that is serious enough, but on their other investigations too.  So we intend to follow that up because it’s a priority for us.  
Reporter:  (Inaudible) is the United States in any way concerned that member nations of the Organization of the Islamic Conference can now pretty much set the agenda for the new Human Rights Council?  Being mindful of the fact that OIC members comprise a majority of the Asian and African blocks.
Ambassador Bolton:  Well, the elections, I think as I said yesterday, demonstrate pretty much what we expected would occur.  The real question now is what happens when the first meeting of the Council takes place in June in Geneva.  And it will be the actions that they take there that will tell us a lot about how the Council will function.  But we’ve believed for quite some time, this is a matter of two or three years before you can tell whether this Council will be materially different from the former Commission.  
Reporter:  Mr. Ambassador on Iran, this new package of incentives that’s going to be – 
Ambassador Bolton:  And disincentives. 
Reporter:  And disincentives that’s going to be put to the Iranian – 
Ambassador Bolton:  That second part is important too.
Reporter:  Some of your colleagues on the Council believe that this meeting and this approach changed the atmospherics in the Council here from confrontation to a more positive approach toward a diplomatic solution.  How do you view this?
Ambassador Bolton:  Well, I think the possibility of getting Perm 5 unity is very important.  That’s what this initiative is designed to undertake and we’ll see what happens in terms of putting the package together and whether it’s acceptable.  And based on whether the Iranians accept the package of incentives or not, that will tell us what we do here.  So we are going to actually continue to work on various aspects of the resolution, although obviously, not try to bring it to a vote until we have a resolution of the alternative track.
Reporter:  Would you like to comment on the disincentives?  What you’ve seen?  Everybody’s talked about what they see the incentives as.  
Ambassador Bolton:  Well, I’d love to talk about the disincentives, but since it’s the Europeans who are putting this together, I’ll let them comment on it.
Reporter:  Mr. Ambassador, do you still hope that the resolution on Lebanon will mention Iran?
Ambassador Bolton:  Well, we’ve worked out a formulation where it will be clear when it’s circulated later today that the behavior of Iran in Lebanon as with the behavior of Syria will be covered.  And we’re hoping, actually, for fairly prompt action on both that resolution and the Darfur resolution that we circulated on Monday and that Secretary Rice addressed yesterday.   
Reporter:  Ambassador, in terms of a Quartet agreement on this international temporary financing mechanism, there still seems to be a little bit of ambiguity over when this would allow for the payment of salaries, public service salaries or not.
Ambassador Bolton:  Well, all that the United States has agreed to is to consider a European proposal if the Europeans put a proposal together.  So until that work is finalized, I think Secretary Rice has said all we have to say on that subject.  
Reporter:  On Iran, there is a two-week window of opportunity, which Secretary Rice has offered.  Is it firm or can it expand?
Ambassador Bolton:  Well, a lot depends on the Europeans.  They are going to be meeting on Monday.  We’ll see what happens when that is put together.  So the timing is not entirely fixed but we think it’s important to give the Europeans time to put their package together and then we’ll see what happens.  Okay?  Thanks a lot.
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