US seeks to play down fears around Trump’s Gaza Board of Peace
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The chairmanship would be held by US President Donald Trump until he chooses to resign it, and only a unanimous vote would remove him.
PHOTO: REUTERS
WASHINGTON – The State Department has instructed US diplomats to suggest that US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is not meant to replace the United Nations, but is designed to complement it, according to people familiar with the matter.
That message – part of a list of talking points sent to US missions around the world – comes despite Mr Trump suggesting several times this week that the board is needed because the UN has not been effective in solving the world’s pressing conflicts.
The Board of Peace
But as more details have emerged, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s diplomats are now trying to downplay growing fears about the scope and ambition of the new board, which Mr Trump will chair, the people said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The talking points sent to US diplomats said it is appropriate that a US president will make the final decision on admissions because it is an American-led initiative, according to the people.
The group will be based in the US, but will meet frequently over Zoom video conferencing, they added.
A State Department spokesperson declined to comment beyond saying that Mr Trump plans to make an announcement on the Board of Peace, and that the agency did not have more to share for now.
A draft charter of the board seen by Bloomberg suggested a potentially global remit aiming to “secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict”.
The draft also asked countries to make a voluntary contribution of at least US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion)
As the board’s inaugural chairman, Mr Trump would get ultimate decision-making power and a potential lifetime appointment that could last beyond his presidency.
He said he had invited Russian President Vladimir Putin to join, angering Europe, given the Kremlin’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron declined an invite, prompting Mr Trump to threaten France with a 200 per cent tariff on champagne.
Other Western leaders have also hesitated as details of the board emerged.
Diplomats were instructed to describe membership of the board as somewhat fluid, with countries able to join if approved by the chairman and withdraw immediately if they want.
They would also push back against the idea that there is a US$1 billion “entry fee”, without disputing that long-term membership will require countries to make significant contributions.
The chairmanship would be held by Mr Trump until he chooses to resign it, and only a unanimous vote would remove him, the people said. BLOOMBERG
