The White House of the United States announced on Monday that UN Ambassador John Bolton will step down from his post when his recess appointment expires, after failing to win Senate confirmation.
Bolton is the second major hawk casualty who has been forced out of the embattled administration in the wake of the Republican party's humiliating loss of both the Senate and the House of Representatives to the Democrats, largely on the burning issue of the Iraq war.
Outgoing Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld resigned in the immediate aftermath of the polling disaster.
At the United Nations on Monday, some of the permanent members of the UN Security Council expressed their regret that Bolton is leaving office.
China's Ambassador Wang Guangya said that although he and Bolton have disagreed in the past, he is sorry to see him go.
"I think that I worked very closely with him and I believe that he is hardworking and so I regret that he is going to resign".
Japanese Ambassador Kenzo Oshima also expressed his disappointment.
"If the news is true it, to me, really disappointing to see Ambassador John Bolton goes. He has been an especially skilful diplomat at the United Nations at a time when the UN faced very challenging issues like reform and in the Security Council."
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Director: Liu Chi