THE United States does not want the EU intruding in what it considers its diplomatic territory, the Middle East, it became apparent this week. The State Department spokesman, Nicholas Burns, was specific about this, saying: "The United States has the central role in the Middle East peace negotiations." However, he did not say what the administration is doing to resolve the Israeli Palestinian impasse.
The United Nations was established to resolve national conflicts by diplomatic means and to enforce peace and has trained personnel for that purpose with wide experience and its diplomacy relies on disinterested diplomats.
The US "central role" in the East Jerusalem imbroglio has driven the Clinton administration to cast two vetoes in the Security Council which the rest of the Council opposed in the first vote and 13 of 15 opposed in the second vote. The US depended on its veto (which was sufficient) in the first vote, and little Costa Rica came to its aid in the second.
One report said the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, had twice rejected - US appeals not to go ahead with the new housing project in East Jerusalem. An unnamed US official told the Washington Post that the Clinton administration will do nothing more.
The President was described as "grim faced" after his two hour meeting on Monday with Mr Netanyahu when he rejected the Camp David formula proposed by the Likud leader. There was veiled criticism of the Israeli Prime Minister in Mr Clinton's comment to the press afterwards "No one should have to bargain to be free from terrorism. But we do need to continue the peace process in an honourable way that will bring it to an honourable conclusion."
Meanwhile, the Arab states have asked for an emergency special session of the General Assembly, which has 185 member states. A majority of 93 states is required for this to happen. The line up, as of Thursday night, was 50 states for an emergency special session with only" one state opposed so far.
The Canadian Prime Minister,
Jean Chretien, has been critical of the failure of the US to pay its dues to the UN because men like Senator Jesse Helms, the North Carolina Republican, are opposed. Mr Helms thinks the world organisation plans to take over the US and many Americans agree with him.
Whatever their opinion, the US now owes the UN $1 billion. In a talk at the National Press. Club here on Wednesday, Mr Chretien said: "It is inappropriate and it's wrong for the one who has the biggest debt to use it to get its way. We pay our bills monthly, and I don't like it."
Mr Chretien was in the best of humour scolding his hosts about their huge debt. He knows the US administration has a plan for repayment which Mr Helms and his allies oppose until the UN accepts their dictation on how to proceed.
If New York no longer wants the UN in its precincts, Montreal would be happy to act as host to the world organisation, Mr Chretien offered.