John Bolton pauses during a confirmation hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill 11 April 2005 in Washington for his nomination as US ambassador to the United Nations. (AFP file Photo)

    WASHINGTON, April 24 (Xinhuanet) -- US President George W. Bush will hold to his nomination of John R. Bolton as the US ambassador to the United Nations, White House spokeswoman Christie Parell said Sunday.

    "The president believes he's exactly the man needed at the United Nations," Parell said.

    She made the statement after Democratic Senator Christopher Dodd said in a CBS interview that Bolton's nomination should withdraw from consideration or risk embarrassing the president.

    Bolton, 55, currently under secretary of state for arms controland international security, was nominated to be American envoy to the United Nationsin early March.

    He has drawn praise from conservatives and most Republicans for his criticism of the United Nations, but Democrats and UN supporters have expressed criticism and concern.

    Last week, the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee postponed a vote on Bolton's nomination to next month.

    President Bush has urged the Senate Foreign Relations Committeeto put aside politics and confirm Bolton.

    Bolton has been a harsh critic of the UN bureaucracy and is thus a provocative choice to the United Nations. Moreover, Bolton has been accused of being a bully with a history of berating people he works with and of seeking to remove those who disagree with him. Enditem