THE HAGUE, 21/07/07 - John Bolton, the former United States ambassador to the United Nations, thinks Ad Melkert should resign from his post at the UN Development Programme (UNDP). The Dutchman is incompetent, in his view.

Bolton, who is seen as a confidante of President George Bush, told TV programme Nova that Melkert, as the second-in-command at the UNDP, has failed to investigate and take action against alleged abuse of UN donor money. The US suspects that "hard currency went to the government of North Korea" directly that was intended for humanitarian aid, according to Bolton.

Towards American requests for appropriate action, Melkert has "adopted a very defensive attitude". "We find his behaviour puzzling. Why deny the existence of the problem," said Bolton. It "remains to be seen" how the affair works out for the US contribution to the UNDP and UN as a whole, he warned.

Apart from having a "bunker mentality", Melkert "insulted our ambassador Mark Wallace and threatened him with retaliation," added Bolton. Elaborating on the Dutchman's "undiplomatic behaviour", the American stated that "perhaps attitudes in your country are different" but internationally "the civil servants work for the member governments, not the other way around."

Asked whether Melkert should leave at the UNDP, Bolton confirmed: "I think he should. I do not think he has got the proper attitude for an international civil servant. I would have no objection to someone else from the Netherlands replacing him."

Former Labour (PvdA) party leader Melkert was forced to leave Dutch politics in 2002 following the assassination of his political rival Pim Fortuyn. He moved to the World Bank where he was recently involved as the bank's ethics committee chairman in the resignation of World Bank President Wolfowitz.

Although Bolton suggested there was no link between the Wolfowitz and UNDP affairs, he said that in the past Melkert "apparently did not have much objection to eliminating officials whose conduct displeased him, so perhaps he should not be surprised when, as the saying goes, 'what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander'."