US warns Sandinista diplomat against dividing UN (Roundup)

Jun 4, 2008, 18:41 GMT

New York - The United States on Wednesday warned a former Sandinista foreign minister from Nicaragua, who was just elected the next UN General assembly president, to remain within his responsibility as a UN official.

Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann, a Roman Catholic priest, was elected without a vote by the 192-nation assembly to preside over the body when it opens its 63rd session in September.

He said in an acceptance speech that the UN should end all wars and called the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan 'acts of aggression.'

The US plays the major role in both wars.

US Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad called the remarks 'unacceptable.'

'His role is to bring the assembly together, he's not representing his government in any partisan aspect of policy,' Khalilzad told reporters in reaction to d'Escoto's speech.

'We have been led to believe that he understands that, we'll wait and see,' the US envoy said.

D'Escoto, whose speech sounded much like a sermon of love, said that the assembly's nations must be united to democratize the world organization and emulate the non-violence philosophy of India's Mahatma Gandhi.

'The unity which the world requires of us is one born out of love and a desire to make each of ourselves instruments of peace, justice and solidarity,' he said.

D'Escoto will take over the assembly's one-year presidency on September 16 when it opens its annual session.

'Therefore we cannot allow hatred, rancor, or a desire for revenge into our struggle,' he said. 'On the contrary, this is what we must firmly fight against, with unbending love and respect. Gandhi must be our paradigm in this struggle for a better world.'

D'Escoto, 75, is himself a controversial personality in Latin American politics. He was born in Los Angeles in 1933 into a family of diplomats and studied at Columbia University in New York before his ordination as a Roman Catholic priest in 1961 as a member of the Maryknoll Missionary Congregation.

He returned to Nicaragua to join the Sandinista National Liberation Front in its struggle against the US-backed government in Managua, and was appointed foreign minister in 1979 when it overthrew the US-backed Samoza government.

He stepped down as foreign minister in 1990 with the end of the Sandinista regime, voted out of office in multi-party elections.

D'Escoto and other priests were publicly scolded by Pope John Paul II during a visit in Central America for their participation in politics. But d'Escoto went on to win praises for his humanitarian works. He received the Lenin Peace Prize in 1985 and the Thomas Merton Award in 1987.

D'Escoto told a press conference at UN headquarters in New York following his election that he will not change the position he had adopted when fighting for the Sandinistas.

'I love the United States and the US is much larger than its political figures,' he said. 'I will continue to be the same person and won't change.'

He urged people to call him 'father' or simply Miguel.

He acknowledged his acceptance speech to the assembly sounded like a sermon.

'They elected a priest and I hope no one was offended,' he said. 'Love is what the world needs the most.'

D'Escoto said he will spend his time as assembly president to 'democratize' the United Nations.