UNITED NATIONS, Dec. 8 (UPI) -- U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, under heavy fire from mostly U.S. critics, received a strong show of support Wednesday from the 191-nation General Assembly.
Assembly President Jean Ping, of Gabon, said the nearly minute-long applause was a "rare" and "vibrant" show of support for Annan in the face of demands for his resignation from various pundits and some elected officials in the United States over the Iraq oil-for-food scandal.
"In a world face with doubt, confusion and even confrontation, you have ... remained ... a source of inspiration and wisdom for millions of persons in the world," Ping said in prepared remarks after the applause following Annan's presentation of a U.N. reform package.
Ping said the apparently organized tribute also represented the member states' support for the United Nations as a whole.
Previously, more than 3,870 U.N. staff members worldwide, as well as representatives from over 87 nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, had pledged their support for the secretary-general.
