Annan Defends UN Official Who Chided U.S.

NYT: “Secretary General Kofi Annan on Thursday vigorously defended Louise Arbour, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, after comments she made about detention and torture came under criticism from John R. Bolton, the United States ambassador.

“The secretary general has absolutely no disagreement with the statement she made yesterday, and he sees no reason to object to any of it,” said Mr. Annan’s spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. In an unusual instance of a secretary general’s singling out an individual envoy for critical comment, Mr. Annan said he was seeking a meeting with Mr. Bolton to make his point in person.”