Posted on 11/19/2004 5:34:01 AM PST by Ginifer
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) - A United Nations request to allow the international body to expand its headquarters building in New York City was met by an undiplomatic response from critics in the New York state legislature Thursday: handcuff the secretary general and move to France.
A state bill is required for the UN to renovate its 52-year-old building and erect a 35-storey companion structure next door. But the bill that had quietly gained the favour of legislative leaders and state Gov. George Pataki was withdrawn from the state Senate agenda Thursday, under withering attack just before it had been expected to pass.
"Why this city or state would want to do anything for the UN is beyond me," said state Senator Martin Golden, a Republican. He cited the UN's oil-for-food program, which is being investigated by the U.S. Congress for alleged corruption, including reports deposed Iraq president Saddam Hussein manipulated the $60-billion US program.
"If this was Enron...we would be taking these people out in cuffs," Golden said in an interview.
He said he expects to derail the UN expansion project because, now that the issue is public, people will oppose the move because the United Nations has refused to join the United States in fighting the Iraq war.
Senate majority spokesman Mark Hansen said the bill is expected to be back on the Senate floor in December. The Assembly is expected to pass the measure next month.
The United Nations Development Corp. referred questions about the Senate action to the New York City Economic Development Corp. A spokeswoman there said she didn't immediately know what the UN would do if the legislature fails to approve the measure.
State Conservative party Chairman Michael Long offered an alternative to handcuffing leaders of what he called the "corrupt" organization.
"We should be considering moving the United Nations to France."
He said the UN "is not supportive of the United States, folded up shop when its members were attacked (in Iraq), does not pay for its support (and) is a burden to the residents of New York and the United States."
The political leader said the legislature "should be chastised for considering it."
By the time the proposal surfaced in Thursday's New York Post newspaper, it already was favoured by state legislative leaders and Gov. George Pataki.
"This bill that there is agreement on would allow the United Nations Development Corp. to proceed with a planning process," said Manhattan Democratic Assemblyman Steven Sanders.
Sanders, the bill's sponsor, who represents the district where the UN is located, said if construction is approved next year by the legislature after public hearings, a park would be built as compensation for the playground on which the UN hopes to build a 35-storey building.
"After 50 years, this very important building, which is both a symbol as well as, unfortunately, a target, needs to be upgraded," Sanders said.
"This building has structural problems and is certainly not up to security specifications for this dangerous world we live in."
"I expect that I would sign it, assuming it is passed," Pataki said Thursday.
"I agree with the concept."
Despite the "disappointments I think we all feel toward some actions or inactions that occur in the UN, I think it's a positive that they're in New York," Pataki added.
Politics and the war in Iraq aside, the presence of the United Nations has sometimes irritated New Yorkers because of traffic gridlock in Manhattan when dignitaries visit and for the flouting of traffic and parking laws by some diplomats.
The United Nations Development Corp. is headed by Roy Goodman, a popular Republican state senator who retired from the legislature in 2002.
Sanders emphasized the project is in its earliest stages.
The legislature would only be allowing the UN to begin planning for a project. The new building would allow for temporary relocation of offices during renovation of the Secretariat building, then be used to consolidate UN offices now located throughout Manhattan.
It makes no sense to me to keep the UN in New York. The city already has enough criminals, why import them. Move this 3rd world circus to Europe, or better yet, Greenland.
Sounds like a splendid idea to me!!!!!!
have them move to zimbabwe.
You have to love this guy. Maybe he needs to go to congress! What balls! We shouldn't let them expand, we should put them in handcuffs and send them to france! I love it.
Move them to Iran. Let them enjoy the full TROP experience first hand.
What has Greenland ever done to you? :P
Expand the Bolshevik UN one brick at a time.
IN the East River
ON TOP of Kofi Annan.
Then jail the rest of the maggots that work there.
We don't have to "go" anywhere to protest the UN.
Welcome to the digital age and FR.
Nice try.
The UN has nothing to worry about from terrorists and thugs. They work in the building.
If the UN would move out of the US, I would ignore them anyway and not waste my time protesting them.
They can rebuild at the open landfill if they promise not to smell it up to much.
And the last time you saw a group of Republicans protesting outside the UN was...?
Expand?? Delete!!
This is rewarding corruption, skulldoggery, theft and the assassination of individual freedom. I would take this whole lot of criminals, outfit each one with waterwings and tell them to start swimming for France. Oh, and watch out for iceburgs. Swine.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
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