Unwilling to accept only the modest steps taken, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is urging the United Nations to move boldly to reform the world body so it can be more effective fighting poverty and terrorism.
Rice's first speech before the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday reflects a determination by the Bush administration to refashion the UN, which so far has fallen far short of completing major changes sought by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.
Rice has locked arms with Annan, declaring him an effective manager with whom she can work closely. Her first speech to the General Assembly conveys their joint effort to update the UN beyond the watered-down, 35-page reform document approved on Friday.
"I have never had a better relationship with anyone than Kofi Annan," she said this week, thereby separating US concerns about management flaws from the world body's top diplomat.
In her speech, Rice is calling the document a useful first step, but no more than that. The administration seeks, for instance, to exclude countries with poor human rights records from sitting in judgment of other nations. It also wants the secretary-general to have the flexibility to make wholesale changes in personnel.
The US delegation, headed by reform-minded Ambassador John R Bolton, never reluctant to point out UN shortcomings even at the risk of irritating traditional diplomats, is expected to follow up Rice's recommendations with resolutions in the coming weeks.
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