Biden says UN envoy Bolton "going nowhere"

WASHINGTON, Nov 9 (Reuters) John Bolton's troubled nomination as US ambassador to the United Nations is ''going nowhere,'' a key Democratic senator said after Democrats scored big in mid-term elections.

Sen. Joseph Biden of Delaware, who is expected to chair the Senate Foreign Relations Committee if Democratic control of the US Senate is formally confirmed, told reporters yesterday: ''I never saw a real enthusiasm (for Bolton's nomination) on the Republican side to begin with. There's none on our side. And I think John Bolton's going nowhere.'' Bolton, the controversial former undersecretary of state in charge of non-proliferation, was nominated by President George W Bush to be UN envoy in March 2005.

But after his confirmation was blocked in the Republican-led Senate, Bush made a recess appointment, which will last until the new Congress convenes in January 2007.

After Tuesday's elections Democrats now control the US House of Representatives and probably the Senate as well.

Before voters cast their ballots, there was talk of Bush re-submitting Bolton's nomination.

Another possibility was having Bush appoint Bolton to another US government job so he could still be paid but assigning him to work at the UN.

Senate Democratic aides said they did not know if such a move would be legal.

REUTERS PDM BD1058