Conference taveng::bagels

    So what?  Unfortunately, there is hardly anyone in the world today,
    including Israel's Foreign Ministry, that attaches any real
    significance to the U.N.  Just look at the Camp David agreements,
    none of which had any input from the U.N., strictly between the
    two combatants and you-know-who.
    
    I think this all started in '67, when U Thant turned his back to
    Nasser in the Sinai, then the Arabs conned and bribed Africa and
    most of the third world into believing that they were the aggrieved
    party.  Then came the '70's when Kurt(you mean that I was responsible
    for all of that?!)Waldheim was secretary-general, the Zionism=Racism
    period.
    
    Today we see the "staunch defender of liberty", Ronald Raygun bending
    over and doing backflips to please the Saudis.  In the United States'
    perception, Saudi Arabia is a more strategic ally in the Middle
    East than Israel.  Maybe I'll get flamed for that last statement,
    but that's the reality as I see it.  In the end oil is more important
    than oranges for the state dept.
    
    David 

Maybe the base note has "put its finger" on an Israeli problem.
Israel is already voting practically 100% with the US. The Arabs
obviously do not. Ergo: let's molify the Arabs to win them over;
don't worry about the Israelis - we already have them in our pocket
anyway...

     re .1:
     
     > there is hardly anyone in the world today...that attaches any real
     > significance to the U.N. 
     
     Disagree.  Although the UN is largely ignored by the US, many other
     countries in the world view the UN as one of the few, maybe only,
     environemnts in which their sovereignty is respected.
     
     --Mr Topaz

    It looks that we are getting into a political discussion hear, still...
    
    If you read Arkady Shevchenko's "Breaking with Moscow" in which
    he describes UN from his experience as the Undersecretary General,
    you will see how little importance the USSR attaches to this
    organization, except for intelligence purposes.  UN became a forum
    for the third world countries to attack Israel, Zionism and the
    USA.  There was no session without at least one such attempt. {If
    this is the way to express the feeling of sovereignty, as -.1 suggests,
    it is really a strange way.

    Leo
    

    How can I correct a mistake (e.g. a misspelling) if I already posted
    a message on a conference?  Is there a way to retrieve it, correct,
    and then post again?  Since English is my second (and recent) language,
    I need a lot of checking.
    
    Leo

    Use SAVE to get the note's text into a file, then DELETE the errant
    message.  Edit the saved text and repost.
    
    Leo, your English is a LOT better than many of those for whom English
    is a first language.  Vis: the Boston public school dept is withholding
    high school diplomas from ~50 seniors who can't pass a -reading-
    test.  And some of the families are considering suing the school
    system. %-|
    
    					--- Steve

    Aaarrrgh!!!!! That's embarrassing.

    On July 4, an article headed
    
    REPORT SHOWS U.S. WAS OUTVOTED
    IN THE U.N. THROUGH MOST OF 1985
    
    appeared in the New York Times. It was written by Elaine Sciolino.
    
    The article carried a list, specifying the percent of time that
    each member nation voted with the U.S. The list was divided into
    5 sections, each section grouping nations by region:  Africa; Asia
    and the Pacific; The Americas; Western Europe; Eastern Europe; and
    bet this ---UNAFFILIATED.
    
    There was one nation listed in the region that was, presumably,
    unaffiliated with and continent or region of the world.  And that
    nation was, you guessed it, Israel --- which, as noted, voted with
    the U.S. 91.5% of the time.
    
    Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon were listed as being located in the Asia
    and Pacific region.  Egypt was listed in Africa.
    
    The list was, according to the article, compiled by the U.S. Mission
    to the United Nations.  The article says, in explanation, "The list
    shows Israel as not belonging to any grouping; it also excludes
    South Africa, which was suspended from the General Assembly in 1974."
    
    I have 3 problems with this:
    
    1. Why does the U.S. Mission to the U.N. prepare lists that support
    Arab maps ... Israel belonging nowhere.
    2. Why was the gratuitous association between Israel and South Africa
    allowed to get by the N.Y. Times' copy desk?
    3. Why has Israel not protested to the U.S. State Department?
    
    Any comments?

    Having worked for various United Nations agencies for 10 years I'll
    try and answer your question.
    The problem of Israel is one that appears time and time again
    concerning any statistics which are prepared by the UN depending
    on which particular body thereof is preparing them. You therefore
    find Israel in southern europe with Portugal, Yugoslavia and Malta.
    In other reports Israel is included in developed market economies
    which includes the US, Canada etc... . In another area, take soccer.
    Israel plays in the Oceania group! If you want further details mail
    me...working in the UN is "interesting" working there with an Israeli
    passport is "enlightening" to say the least...