US Supports Term Limit for IAEA Chief

[quaoar]

http://www.voanews.com/english/2004-12-12-voa32.cfm

By Paula Wolfson
White House
12 December 2004


The Bush administration says it continues to believe there should be term limits for top U.N. officials. Among those nearing the end of his second term is the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency, Mohamed ElBaradei.

The White House has made no secret of the fact it would like to see the Egyptian diplomat leave the post when his second term expires next year.

A White House spokeswoman says the United States has always supported a two term limit for U.N. organization chiefs. But she declines to comment on reports the U.S. has intercepted Mohamed ElBaradei's telephone calls in a search for evidence that could be used against him.

When pressed by reporters, spokeswoman Suzy DeFrances, would go no further than a brief statement on the term limit issue. She said only that the Bush administration does not comment on intelligence matters.

[SoCalDem]

1. Gee what a surprise..

not:)

[nolabels]

12. LOL

:D

[underpants]

2. CYA with "intelligence matters" huh?

it is amazing not on does Fox say that they bugged ElBaredei's phone but they are so open and brazen about it. Okay that really isn't that surprising.

[phantom power]

3. I have no problem with the idea of term limits, but BushCo is so

transparent in it's motives. If the next IAEA chief ends up being a Bush ass-kisser, they'll be the first to advocate removing the term-limits.

This "position" is about as principled as the GOP's supposed support for "states rights".

[Brundle_Fly]

7. heh

Jerry Fallwell IAEA Chief...

[quaoar]

4. Meanwhile, in Australia

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Downer-quiet-on-ElBaradei-push/2004/12/13/1102787018407.html?oneclick=true

Downer quiet on ElBaradei push
By Marian Wilkinson, Gerard Noonan and Cynthia Banham
December 14, 2004


The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, had talks with senior US officials about running for head of the International Atomic Energy Agency as far back as September, say US diplomatic sources, but he did not want to challenge the current chief, Mohamed ElBaradei.

The discussions began when the Bush Administration, led by John Bolton, the under-secretary of state for arms control, made it clear it wanted to oust Dr ElBaradei and prevent him running for a third term as head of the agency, diplomatic sources in Washington told the Herald.

The nature of these discussions has come into the spotlight after The Washington Post revealed the US had spied on Dr ElBaradei, bugging his negotiations with Iran and combing the transcripts in an effort to find information that could force him to quit.

The deadline for candidates to nominate for the job is December 31.

[LynnTheDem]

9. Blackmail.

They're combing Dr. Elbaradei's personal life, too. That's the "integrity" bush brings to the WH.

[soaky]

13. dwner is a joke as our foreign minister

i shudder to think of him as the head of the IAEA. I doubt he has any qualifications along those lines.

[quaoar]

5. And there is this from AP

Daryl Kimball, president of the private Arms Control Association, said the two-term stance was not “written in stone” and that the administration was irritated with ElBaradei, whose main job is monitoring the 1970 nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

< snip >

“Key states do not agree with the U.S. that it is time for ElBaradei, who has been fair but tough, to depart the scene,” Kimball said in an interview.

“He has done a good job, and the agency has been aggressive” in promoting compliance with the treaty, Kimball said.

Also, he said, two past directors of the U.N. agency, Hans Blix and Sigvard Eklund, each served four terms.

[MisterP]

11. MSNBC link

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6708963/

[maddezmom]

6. the misadministration doesn't comment on intelligence matters???

no they just leak inaccurate info to the press.

[LynnTheDem]

8. World does not care what USA wants, thinks, says.

The USA no longer has any standing in the eyes of the world.

[struggle4progress]

10. Tapping his phone got them nothing, so it's on to Plan B "term limits."